CDSMO-CONCEPTID 


/' 


Ex  Libris 
C.  K.  OGDEN 


THE  ROSICRUCIAN 
COSMO-CONCEPTION 

OE 

MYSTIC  CHRISTIANITY 

AX    ELEMENTARY    TREATISE    UPON 

MAX'S  PAST  EVOLUTION,  PRESENT  CONSTITU- 
TION AND  FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT 

BY 

MAX  HEINDEL 


ITS  MESSAGE  AND  MISSION. 
A  SANE  MIND. 
A  SOFT  HEART. 
A  SOUND  BODY. 


THIED  EDITION 
Revised,  Enlarged  and  Indexed. 


PRICE  ONE  DOLLAR  AND  FIFTY  CENTS. 
POST  FREE. 

ROSICRUCIAN  FELLOWSHIP 

P.  0.  Box  866 
OCEAN  PARK,  CALIFORNIA 

EUROPEAN  AGENTS 
L.  N.  FOWLER  &  CO. 

7  IMPERIAL  ARCADE 
LDDQATE  CIRCUS  LONDON,  E.  C. 


COPYRIGHT  1911 

BY 
MAX  HEINDEL 

All  rights   including   translation  reserved. 

Permission  to  copy  or  translate  will  be  readily  given  upon  application 
to  Author. 


M.  A.  DONOHUE  &  CO. 
PRINTERS,  BINDERS, 
PUBLISHERS,  CHICAGO 


Stack 
Annex 

I      BF 

Creeb  or  Cftrfet 

No  man  loves  God  who  hates  his  kind ; 

Who  tramples  on  his  Brother's  heart  and  soul. 
Who  seeks  to  shackle,  cloud  or  fog  the  mind 

By  fears  of  Hell  has  not  perceived  our  goal. 

God-sent  are  all  religions  blest ; 

And  Christ ;  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  Life 
To  give  the  heavy-laden  rest 

And  peace  from  Sorrow,  Sin  and  Strife. 

At  His  request  the  Universal  Spirit  came 

To  all  the  churches;  not  to  one  alone; 
On  Pentecostal  morn  a  tongue  of  flame 

Round  each  apostle  as  a  halo  shone. 

Since  then,  as  vultures  ravenous  with  greed, 

We  oft  have  battled  for  an  empty  name 
And  sought  by  dogma,  edict,  creed, 

To  send  each  other  to  the  flame. 

Is  Christ  then  divided?    Was  Cephas  or  Paul 

Nailed  to  the  Cross  to  die  ? 
If  not:   Then  why  these  divisions  at  all? 

Christ's  love  doth  enfold  you  and  I. 

His  pure  sweet  love  is  not  confined 

By  creeds  which  segregate  and  raise  a  wall. 
His  love  enfolds,  embraces  Humankind ; 

No  matter  what  ourselves  or  him  we  call. 

Then  why  not  take  Him  at  His  word? 

Why  hold  to  creeds  which  tear  apart  ? 
But  one  thing  matters  be  it  heard, 

That  brother-love  fill  every  heart. 

There  is  but  one  thing  that  the  world  has  need  to  know ; 

There  is  but  one  balm  for  all  our  human  woe ; 
There  is  but  one  way  that  leads  to  heaven  above ; 

That  way  is  human  sympathy  and  love. 

MAX  HEINDEL. 

109i£C5 


THE  REASON 
Why  we  have  increased  the  price  of  this  ~boolc. 

It  is  one  of  the  fundamental  tenets  of  the  Rosierucians 
never  to  charge  for  services,  and  their  pupils  are  required 
to  give  as  freely  as  they  have  received. 

The  writer  has  endeavored  to  follow  that  injunction  both 
in  spirit  and  to  the  letter.  Perhaps  he  followed  it  too 
closely  when  the  first  and  second  edition  of  this  book  was 
published  at  one  dollar,  for  at  that  price  there  was  no 
margin  for  delinquent  accounts  and  one  dealer  still  owes 
us  for  about  1,000  books  of  the  first  edition.  We  have 
now  sold  two  editions  and  yet  the  original  electroplates 
from  which  the  book  is  printed  have  not  been  paid  for. 

Since  then  we  have  spent  a  considerable  sum  for  cor- 
rections and  addition  to  the  second  edition  without  raising 
the  price,  and  now  we  have  again  had  a  large  outlay  to 
make  this  volume  what  it  is.  We  have  rearranged  and 
considerably  amplified  the  last  chapter,  which  deals  with 
the  Rosicrucians,  from  page  515  and  on,  we  have  labored 
assiduously  to  make  the  large  index — which  is  both  alpha- 
betical and  topical — and  the  book  is  now  more  than  six 
hundred  pages,  well  printed,  handsomely  finished  and 
durably  bound  as  a  textbook  ought  to  be.  Therefore  we 
trust  our  friends  will  realize  that  we  are  giving  full  value 
in  paper,  printing  and  binding  for  the  increased  price, 
that  they  are  indeed  receiving  the  teaching  and  labor  of 
the  writer  as  a  free  gift. 


A  WORD  TO  THE  WISE. 

The  founder  of  the  Christian  Religion  stated  an  occult 
maxim  when  He  said:  "Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the 
kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child  shall  not  enter  therein" 
(Mark  x:  15).  All  occultists  recognize  the  far-reaching 
importance  of  this  teaching  of  Christ,  and  endeavor  to 
"live"  it  day  by  day. 

When  a  new  philosophy  is  presented  to  the  world  it  is 
met  in  different  ways  by  different  people. 

One  person  will  grasp  with  avidity  any  new  philosophical 
effort  in  an  endeavor  to  ascertain  how  far  it  supports  his 
own  ideas.  To  such  an  one  the  philosophy  itself  is  of 
minor  importance.  Its  prime  value  will  be  its  vindication 
of  HIS  ideas.  If  the  work  comes  up  to  expectation  in  that 
respect,  he  will  enthusiastically  adopt  it  and  cling  to  it 
with  a  most  unreasoning  partisanship ;  if  not,  he  will  prob- 
ably lay  the  book  down  in  disgust  and  disappointment, 
feeling  as  if  the  author  had  done  him  an  injury. 

Another  adopts  an  attitude  of  skepticism  as  soon  as  he 
discovers  that  it  contains  something  which  HE  has  not 
previously  read,  heard,  or  originated  in  his  own  thought. 
He  would  probably  resent  as  extremely  unjustified  the 
accusation  that  his  mental  attitude  is  the  acme  of  self- 
satisfaction  and  intolerance;  such  is  nevertheless  the  case; 
and  thus  he  shuts  his  mind  to  any  truth  which  may  possibly 
be  hidden  in  that  which  he  off-hand  rejects. 

Both  these  classes  stand  in  their  own  light.  "Set"  ideas 
render  them  impervious  to  rays  of  truth.  "A  little  child" 

5 


6  A  WORD  TO  THE  WISE 

is  the  very  opposite  of  its  elders  in  that  respect.  It  is  not 
imbued  with  an  overwhelming  sense  of  superior  knowledge, 
nor  does  it  feel  compelled  to  look  wise  or  to  hide  its 
nescience  of  any  subject  by  a  smile  or  a  sneer.  It  is  frankly 
ignorant,  unfettered  by  preconceived  opinions  and  therefore 
eminently  teachable.  It  takes  everything  with  that  beauti- 
ful attitude  of  trust  which  we  have  designated  "child-like 
faith,"  wherein  there  is  not  the  shadow  of  a  doubt.  There 
the  child  holds  the  teaching  it  receives  until  proven  or 
disproven. 

In  all  occult  schools  the  pupil  is  first  taught  to  forget 
all  else  when  a  new  teaching  is  being  given,  to  allow  neither 
preference  nor  prejudice  to  govern,  but  to  keep  the  mind 
in  a  state  of  calm,  dignified  waiting.  As  skepticism  will 
blind  us  to  truth  in  the  most  effective  manner,  so  this  calm, 
trustful  attitude  of  the  mind  will  allow  the  intuition,  or 
"teaching  from  within,"  to  become  aware  of  the  truth  con- 
tained in  the  proposition.  That  is  the  only  way  to  culti- 
vate an  absolutely  certain  perception  of  truth. 

The  pupil  is  not  required  to  believe  off-hand  that  a 
given  object  which  he  has  observed  to  be  white,  is  really 
black,  when  such  a  statement  is  made  to  him ;  but  he  must 
cultivate  an  attitude  of  mind  which  "believeth  all  things" 
as  possible.  That  will  allow  him  to  put  by  for  the  time 
being  even  what  are  generally  considered  "established 
facts,"  and  investigate  if  perchance  there  be  another 
viewpoint  hitherto  unobserved  by  him  whence  the  object 
referred  to  would  appear  black.  Indeed,  he  would  not 
allow  himself  to  look  upon  anything  as  "an  established 
fact"  for  he  realizes  thoroughly  the  importance  of  keeping 
his  mind  in  the  fluidal  state  of  adaptability  which  charac- 
terizes the  little  child.  He  realizes  in  every  fibre  of  his 
being  that  "now  we  see  through  a  glass,  darkly,"  and 


A  WORD  TO  THE  WISE  7 

Ajax-like  he  is  ever  on  the  alert,  yearning  for  "Light, 
more  Light." 

The  enormous  advantage  of  such  an  attitude  of  mind 
when  investigating  any  given  subject,  object  or  idea  must 
be  apparent.  Statements  which  appear  positively  and 
unequivocally  contradictory,  which  have  caused  an  immense 
amount  of  feeling  among  the  advocates  of  opposite  sides, 
may  nevertheless  be  capable  of  perfect  reconciliation,  as 
shown  in  one  such  instance  mentioned  in  the  present  work. 
The  bond  of  concord  is  only  discovered  by  the  open  mind, 
however,  and  though  the  present  work  may  be  found  to 
differ  from  others,  the  writer  would  bespeak  an  impartial 
hearing  as  the  basis  of  subsequent  judgment.  If  the  book 
is  "weighed  and  found  wanting,"  the  writer  will  have  no 
complaint.  He  only  fears  a  hasty  judgment  based  upon 
lack  of  knowledge  of  the  system  he  advocates — a  hearing 
wherein  the  judgment  is  "wanting"  in  consequence  of 
having  been  denied  an  impartial  "weighing."  He  would 
further  submit,  that  the  only  opinion  worthy  of  the  one 
who  expresses  it  must  be  based  upon  knowledge. 

As  a  further  reason  for  care  in  judgment  we  suggest 
that  to  many  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  retract  a  hastily 
expressed  opinion.  Therefore  it  is  urged  that  the  reader 
withhold  all  expressions  of  either  praise  or  blame  until 
study  of  the  work  has  reasonably  satisfied  him  of  its  merit 
or  demerit. 

The  Eosicrucian  Cosmo-conception  is  not  dogmatic, 
neither  does  it  appeal  to  any  other  authority  than  the 
reason  of  the  student.  It  is  not  controversial,  but  is  sent 
forth  in  the  hope  that  it  may  help  to  clear  some  of  the 
difficulties  which  have  beset  the  minds  of  students  of  the 
deeper  philosophies  in  the  past.  In  order  to  avoid  serious 
misunderstanding,  it  should  be  firmly  impressed  upon  the 


8  A  WORD  TO  THE  WISE 

mind  of  the  student,  however,  that  there  is  no  infallible 
revelation  of  this  complicated  subject,  which  includes 
everything  under  the  sun  and  above  it  also. 

An  infallible  exposition  would  predicate  omniscience 
upon  the  part  of  the  writer,  and  even  the  Elder  Brothers 
tell  us  that  they  are  sometimes  at  fault  in  their  judgment, 
so  a  book  which  shall  say  the  last  word  on  the  World- 
Mystery  is  out  of  the  question,  and  the  writer  of  the  present 
work  does  not  pretend  to  give  aught  but  the  most  ele- 
mentary teachings  of  the  Kosicrucians. 

The  Rosicrucian  Brotherhood  has  the  most  far-reaching, 
the  most  logical  conception  of  the  World-Mystery  of  which 
the  writer  has  gained  any  knowledge  during  the  many 
years  he  has  devoted  exclusively  to  the  study  of  this 
subject.  So  far  as  he  has  been  able  to  investigate,  their 
teachings  have  been  found  in  accordance  with  facts  as  he 
knows  them.  Yet  he  is  convinced  that  the  Rosicrusian 
Cosmo-conception  is  far  from  being  the  last  word  on  the 
subject ;  that  as  we  advance  greater  vistas  of  truth  will  open 
to  us  and  make  clear  many  things  which  we  now  "sec 
through  a  glass,  darkly."  At  the  same  time  he  firmly  be- 
lieves that  all  other  philosophies  of  the  future  will  follow 
the  same  main  lines,  for  they  appear  to  be  absolutely  true. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  it  will  be  plain  that  this  book 
is  not  considered  by  the  writer  as  the  Alpha  and  Omega, 
the  ultimate  of  occult  knowledge,  and  even  though  it  is 
entitled  "The  Rosicrucian  Cosmo-conception,"  the  writer 
desires  to  strongly  emphasize  that  it  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood as  a  "faith  once  for  all  delivered"  to  the  Rosicrucians 
by  the  founder  of  the  Order  or  by  any  other  individual. 
It  is  emphatically  stated  that  this  work  embodies  only  the 
writer's  understanding  of  the  Rosicrucian  teachings  con- 
cerning the  World-Mystery,  strengthened  by  his  personal 


A  WORD  TO  THE  WISE  9 

investigations  of  the  inner  Worlds,  the  ante-natal  and  post- 
mortem states  of  man,  etc.  The  responsibility  which  de- 
volves upon  one  who  wittingly  or  unwittingly  leads  others 
astray  is  clearly  realized  by  the  writer,  and  he  wishes  to 
guard  himself  as  far  as  possible  against  that  contingency, 
and  also  to  guard  others  against  the  possibility  of  going 
wrong  inadvertently. 

What  is  said  in  this  work  is  therefore  to  be  accepted  or 
rejected  by  the  reader  according  to  his  own  discretion.  All 
diligence  has  been  used  in  trying  to  understand  the  teach- 
ing; great  pains  have  been  taken  to  put  it  into  words  that 
shall  be  most  easily  understood.  For  that  reason  only  one 
term  has  been  used  throughout  the  work  to  convey  each 
idea.  The  same  word  will  have  the  same  meaning  where- 
ever  used.  When  any  word  descriptive  of  an  idea  is  first 
used,  the  clearest  definition  possible  to  the  writer  is  given. 
None  but  English  terms  and  the  simplest  language  have 
been  employed.  The  writer  has  constantly  endeavored  to 
give  as  exact  and  definite  descriptions  of  the  subject  under 
consideration  as  possible ;  to  eliminate  all  ambiguity  and 
to  make  everything  clear.  How  far  he  has  succeeded  must 
be  left  to  the  student  to  judge ;  but  having  diligently  used 
every  possible  endeavor  to  convey  the  teaching,  he  feels 
compelled  to  guard  also  against  the  possibility  of  this  work 
being  taken  as  an  authoritative  statement  of  the  Rosicru- 
eian  teachings.  Neglect  of  this  precaution  might  give 
undue  weight  to  this  work  in  the  minds  of  some  students. 
That  would  not  be  fair  to  the  Brotherhood  nor  to  the 
reader.  It  would  have  a  tendency  to  throw  the  responsi- 
bility upon  the  Brotherhood  for  the  mistakes  which  must 
occur  in  this  as  in  all  other  human  works.  Hence  the  above 
warning. 

There  is  an  Indian  story  which  says  that  anyone  who  has 


10  A  WOED  TO  THE  WISE 

two  semi-circular  lines  on  the  palm-side  of  the  outer  joint 
of  the  thumb  "carries  a  grain  of  rice  with  him." 
They  assert  that  such  an  one  will  always  be  well 
received,  hospitably  treated  and  befriended  wherever  he 
goes.  The  writer  has  the  mark  mentioned,  and  the  prog- 
nostication has  been  marvelously  true  in  his  case.  Friends 
have  met  him  everywhere  and  have  treated  him  in  such  a 
way  that  he  has  been  literally  overwhelmed  with  kindness 
at  every  turn.  So  also  in  the  work  upon  this  book.  Dr. 
von  Brandis  furnished  the  means  whereby  he  first  came 
into  contact  with  the  Rosicrucian  teachings.  Kingsmill 
Commander  and  Jessie  Brewster  loyally  helped  him  in  a 
literary  sense,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Rath  Merrill  and  Miss  Allene 
Merrill  executed  a  number  of  the  drawings,  and  Wm.  M. 
Patterson  has  given  to  the  writer  not  only  personal  services 
but  financial  aid  to  enable  him  to  publish  at  cost  of  print- 
ing and  handling.  This  work  has  been  produced  for 
Love's  sake.  No  one  connected  with  it  from  first  to  last 
has  received  or  will  receive  a  penny  of  recompense.  All 
have  given  freely  of  time  and  money.  Therefore  the  writer 
wishes  to  express  his  heartfelt  gratitude  to  them  all,  and 
the  earnest  hope  that  they  may  find  other  and  greater 
opportunities  for  the  exercise  of  unselfish  service. 

MAX  HEINDBL. 


LIST  OF  CONTENTS. 

PABTL 

MAN'S  PRESENT  CONSTITUTION  AND  METHOD  OP  DEVELOPMENT. 
Frontispiece,  Diagram  16,  The  Lord's  Prayer. 

A  Word  to  the  Wise -.-. vs...  5 

The  Four  Kingdoms,  diagram 16 

Introduction 17 

CHAPTER  I.     The  Visible  and  Invisible  Worlds 24 

Chemical  Region  of  the  Physical  World 29 

Etheric  Region  of  the  Physical  World 34 

The  Desire  World 38 

The  World  of  Thought 48 

Diagram  1.     The  Material  World  a  Reverse  Reflection 

of  the  Spiritual  Worlds 52 

Diagram  2.    The  Seven  Worlds 54 

CHAPTER  II.     The  Four  Kingdoms 56 

Diagram  3.    The  Vehicles  of  the  Four  Kingdoms 73 

Diagram  4.    The  Consciousness  of  the  Four  Kingdoms . .  74 

CHAPTER  III.     Man  and  the  Method  of  Evolution. 

Activities  of  Life;  Memory  and  Soul-growth 87 

The  Constitution  of  the  Seven-fold  Man 88 

Diagram  5.    The  Three-fold  Spirit,  the  Three-fold  Body 

and  the  Three-fold  Soul 95 

Death  and  Purgatory 96 

Diagram  5  V2.    The  Silver  Cord 98 

The  Borderland 112 

The  First  Heaven 113 

The  Second  Heaven 121 

The  Third  Heaven 129 

Preparations  for  Rebirth 133 

Birth  of  the  Dense  Body 139 

Birth  of  the  Vital  Body  and  Growth 141 

Birth  of  the  Desire  Body  and  Puberty 142 

Birth  of  the  Mind  and  Majority 142 

The  Blood;  the  Vehicle  of  the  Ego 143 

A  Life  Cycle  (diagram) -.-. 146 

CHAPTER  IV.     Rebirth  and  the  Law  of  Consequence 147 

Wine  as  a  Factor  in  Evolution 165 

A   Remarkable   Story %-. 172 

11 


12  CONTENTS. 

PART  II. 

COSMOGENESIS  AND  ANTHROPOGENESIS. 

CHAPTER  V.     The  Eelation  of  Man  to  God 177 

Diagram   6.    The   Supreme  Being,  the  Cosmic  Planea 

and  God   178 

CHAPTER  VI.     The  Scheme  of  Evolution. 

The  Beginning >. 182 

The  Seven  Worlds 186 

The  Seven  Periods 188 

Diagram  7.     The  Saturn  Period 193 

CHAPTER  VII.     The  Path  of  Evolution 194 

Eevolutions  and  Cosmic  Nights 195 

Diagram    8.      The    Seven    Worlds,    Seven    Globes    and 

Seven  Periods 197 

CHAPTER  VIII.     The  Work  of  Evolution. 

Ariadnes  Thread 201 

The  Saturn  Period 204 

Recapitulation 208 

The  Sun  Period 209 

The  Moon  Period 213 

Diagram  9.     The  Twelve  Creative  Hierarchies 221 

CHAPTER  IX.     Stragglers  and  Newcomers 223 

Classes  of  Beings  at  the  Beginning  of  the  Moon  Period  226 

Diagram  10.    Classes  at  the  Beginning  of  Earth  Period  230 

CHAPTER  X.     The  Earth  Period 233 

Saturn  Revolution  of  the  Earth  Period 236 

Sun  Revolution  of  the  Earth  Period 240 

Moon  Revolution  of  the  Earth  Period 242 

Rest  Periods  Between  Revolutions 243 

The  Fourth  Revolution  of  the  Earth  Period 245 

CHAPTER  XI.     Genesis  and  Evolution  of  Our  Solar  System. 

Chaos   246 

The  Birth  of  the  Planets 252 

Diagram.     Vibrations    254 

Diagram  12.     Man's  Past,  Present  and  Future  Form.  .  257 

CHAPTER  XII.     Evolution  on  the  Earth. 

The  Polarian  Epoch 261 

The  Hyperborean  Epoch 262 

The  Moon;  the  Eighth  Sphere 264 

The  Lemurian  Epoch 265 


CONTENTS.  13 

Birth  of  the  Individual 266 

Separation  of  the  Sexes 267 

Influence  of  Mars 268 

The  Races  and  Their  Leaders 270 

Influence  of  Mercury 273 

The  Lemurian  Race 275 

The  Fall  of  Man 282 

The  Lucifer  Spirits 286 

The  Atlantean  Epoch 291 

The  Aryan  Epoch 304 

The  Sixteen  Paths  to  Destruction 306 

CHAPTER  XIII.    Back  to  the  Bible 308 

CHAPTER  XIV.     Occult  Analysis  of  Genesis. 

Limitations  of  the  Bible 317 

In  the  Beginning 321 

The  Nebular  Theory 322 

The  Creative  Hierarchies. 325 

The  Saturn  Period 327 

The  Sun  Period,  the  Moon  Period 328 

The  Earth  Period 329 

Jehovah  and  His  Mission 333 

Involution,  Evolution  and  Epigenesis 336 

A  Living  Soulf • 344 

Adam 's  Rib 346 

Guardian  Angels 347 

Mixing  Blood  in  Marriage 352 

The  Fall  of  Man 360 

Diagram  13.     The  Beginning  and  End  of  Sex 364 


PART  III. 
MAN'S   FUTURE   DEVELOPMENT  AND   INITIATION. 

Diagram.     The  Seven  Days  of  Creation 366 

The  Evolution  of  Religion 367 

Jesus  and  Christ- Jesus 374 

Diagram  14.     The  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit  377 

Not  Peace  but  a  Sword 383 

The  Star  of  Bethlehem 388 

The  Heart  an  Anomaly 393 

The  Mystery  of  Golgotha 400 

The  Cleansing  Blood 406 

CHAPTER  XV.     Christ  and  His  Mission. 

Diagram.     ' '  As  Above,  so  Below  " 410 

CHAPTER  XVI.     Future  Development  and  Initiation. 

The  Seven  Days  of  Creation 411 

Diagram  15.     The  Symbolism  of  the  Caduces 413 

Radiates,  Mollusks,  Articulates  and  Vertebrates 416 

Spirals  within  Spirals 420 


14  CONTENTS. 

Alchemy  and  Soulgrowth 421 

The  Creative  Word 425 

CHAPTER    XVII.     The     Method     of     Acquiring    First- Hand 
Knowledge. 

The  First  Steps 430 

Western  Methods  for  Western  People 437 

The  Science  of  Nutrition 441 

Table  of  Food-Values 450 

The  Law  of  Assimilation 451 

Live  and  Let  Live 460 

The  Lord's  Prayer 462 

The  Vow  of  Celibacy 467 

The  Pituitary  Body  and  the  Pineal  Gland 473 

Diagram  17.    Path  of  the  Unused  Sex  Currents 475 

Esoteric  Training 477 

How  the  Inner  Vehicle  is  Built 480 

Concentration  486 

Meditation   ." 489 

Observation 492 

Discrimination    , 493 

Contemplation 494 

Adoration    495 

CHAPTER  XVIII.     The  Constitution  of  the  Earth  and  Volcanic 

Eruptions 498 

The  Number  of  the  Beast 499 

Diagram  18.     The  Constitution  of  the  Earth 509 

CHAPTER  XIX.     Christian  Eosenkreuz  and  the  Order  of  Bosi- 

crucians    515 

Initiation    524 

The  Eosicrucian  Fellowship 530 

Bays  from  the  Rose  Cross 533 

Symbolism  of  Eose  Cross 534 

Index    539 

The  Healing  Power 599 


PART  I 

Man's  Present  Constitution  and 
Method  of  Development 


INTRODUCTION. 

THE  Western  world  is  undoubtedly  the  vanguard  of 
the  human  race,  and,  for  reasons  given  in  the  fol- 
lowing pages,  it  is  held  by  the  Rosicrucian  that 
neither  Judaism  nor  "popular  Christianity,"  but  true 
Esoteric  Christianity  is  to  be  its  world-religion. 

Buddha,  great,  grand  and  sublime,  may  be  the  "Light 
of  Asia,"  but  Christ  will  yet  be  acknowledged  the  "Light 
of  the  World."  As  the  sun  outshines  the  brightest  star 
in  the  heavens,  dispels  every  vestige  of  darkness  and  gives 
life  and  light  to  all  beings,  so,  in  a  not  too  distant  future, 
will  the  true  religion  of  Christ  supersede  and  obliterate  all 
other  religions,  to  the  eternal  benefit  of  mankind. 

In  our  civilization  the  chasm  that  stretches  between 
mind  and  heart  yawns  deep  and  wide  and,  as  the  mind  flies 
on  from  discovery  to  discovery  in  the  realms  of  science, 
the  gulf  becomes  ever  deeper  and  wider  and  the  heart  is 
left  further  and  further  behind.  The  mind  loudly  demands 
and  will  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than  a  materially 
demonstrable  explanation  of  man  and  his  fellow-creatures 
that  make  up  the  phenomenal  world.  The  heart  feels  in- 
stinctively that  there  is  something  greater,  and  it  yearns 
for  that  which  it  feels  is  a  higher  truth  than  can  be 
grasped  by  the  mind  alone.  The  human  soul  would  fain 
soar  upon  ethereal  pinions  of  intuition ;  would  fain  lave  in 
the  eternal  fount  of  spiritual  light  and  love;  but  modern 
scientific  views  have  shorn  its  wings  and  it  sits  fettered 

17 


18  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

and  mute,  unsatisfied  longings  gnawing  at  its  tendrils  as 
the  vulture  at  Prometheus'  liver. 

Is  this  necessary?  Is  there  no  common  ground  upon 
which  head  and  heart  may  meet,  each  assisting  the  other, 
each  by  the  help  of  the  other  becoming  more  effective  in 
the  search  for  universal  truth,  and  each  receiving  equal 
satisfaction  ? 

As  surely  as  the  pre-existing  light  created  the  eye  whereby 
the  light  is  seen;  as  surely  as  the  primordial  desire  for 
growth  created  the  digestive  and  assimilative  system  for 
the  attainment  of  that  end;  as  surely  as  thought  existed 
before  the  brain  and  built  and  still  is  building  the  brain 
for  its  expression;  as  surely  as  the  mind  is  now  forging 
ahead  and  wringing  her  secrets  from  nature  by  the  very 
force  of  its  audacity,  just  so  surely  will  the  heart  find  a 
way  to  burst  its  bonds  and  gratify  its  longings.  At  present 
it  is  shackled  by  the  dominant  brain.  Some  day  it  will 
gather  strength  to  burst  its  prison  bars  and  become  a  power 
greater  than  the  mind. 

It  is  equally  certain  that  there  can  be  no  contradiction 
in  nature,  therefore  the  heart  and  the  mind  must  be  capa- 
ble of  uniting.  To  indicate  this  common  ground  is  pre- 
cisely the  purpose  of  this  book.  To  show  where  and  how 
the  mind,  helped  by  the  intuition  of  the  heart,  can  probe 
more  deeply  into  the  mysteries  of  being  than  either  could 
do  alone ;  where  the  heart,  by  union  with  the  mind,  can  be 
kept  from  going  astray;  where  each  can  have  full  scope 
for  action,  neither  doing  violence  to  the  other  and  where 
both  mind  and  heart  can  be  satisfied. 

Only  when  that  co-operation  is  attained  and  perfected 
will  man  attain  the  higher,  truer  understanding  of  himself 
and  of  the  world  of  which  he  is  a  part;  only  that  can  give 
him  a  broad  mind  and  a  great  heart. 


INTKODUCTION  19 

At  every  birth  what  appears  to  be  a  new  life  comes 
among  us.  We  see  the  little  form  as  it  lives  and  grows, 
becoming  a  factor  in  our  lives  for  days,  months,  or  years. 
At  last  there  comes  a  day  when  the  form  dies  and  goes  to 
decay.  The  life  that  came,  whence  we  know  not,  has 
passed  to  the  invisible  beyond,  and  in  sorrow  we  ask  our- 
selves, Whence  came  it?  Why  was  it  here?  and  Whither 
has  it  gone? 

Across  every  threshold  the  skeleton  form  of  Death 
throws  his  fearsome  shadow.  Old  or  young,  well  or  ill, 
rich  or  poor,  all,  all  alike  must  pass  out  into  that  shadow 
and  throughout  the  ages  has  sounded  the  piteous  cry  for 
a  solution  of  the  riddle  of  life — the  riddle  of  death. 

So  far  as  the  vast  majority  of  people  are  concerned  the 
three  great  questions,  Whence  have  we  come?  Why  are  we 
here?  Whither  are  we  going?  remain  unanswered  to  this 
day.  It  has  unfortunately  come  to  be  the  popularly  ac- 
cepted opinion  that  nothing  can  be  definitely  known  about 
these  matters  of  deepest  interest  to  humanity.  Nothing 
could  be  more  erroneous  than  such  an  idea.  Each  and 
every  one,  without  exception,  may  become  capable  of  obtain- 
ing first-hand,  definite  information  upon  this  subject ;  may 
personally  investigate  the  state  of  the  human  spirit,  both 
before  birth  and  after  death.  There  is  no  favoritism,  nor 
are  special  gifts  required.  Each  of  us  has  inherently  the 
faculty  for  knowing  all  of  these  matters ;  but ! — Yes,  there 
is  a  "but,"  and  a  "BUT"  that  must  be  written  large.  These 
faculties  are  present  in  all,  though  latent  in  most  people. 
It  requires  persistent  effort  to  awaken  them  and  that  seems 
to  be  a  powerful  deterrent.  If  these  faculties,  "awake  and 
aware,"  could  be  had  for  a  monetary  consideration,  even  if 
the  price  were  high,  many  people  would  pay  it  to  gain  such 
immense  advantage  over  their  fellow-men,  but  few  indeed 


20  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

are  those  willing  to  live  the  life  that  is  required  to  awaken 
them.  That  awakening  comes  only  by  patient,  persistent 
effort.  It  cannot  be  bought ;  there  is  no  royal  road  to  it. 

It  is  conceded  that  practice  is  necessary  to  learn  to  play 
the  piano,  and  that  it  is  useless  to  think  of  being  a  watch- 
maker without  being  willing  to  serve  an  apprenticeship. 
Yet  when  the  matter  of  the  soul,  of  death  and  the  beyond, 
of  the  great  causes  of  being,  are  the  questions  at  issue, 
many  think  they  know  as  much  as  anyone  and  have  an 
equal  right  to  express  an  opinion,  though  they  may  never 
have  given  the  subject  an  hour's  study. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  no  one  unless  qualified  by  study 
of  the  subject  should  expect  serious  consideration  for  an 
opinion.  In  legal  cases,  where  experts  are  called  to  testify, 
they  are  first  examined  as  to  their  competency.  The  weight 
of  their  testimony  will  be  nil,  unless  they  are  found  to  be 
thoroughly  proficient  in  the  branch  of  knowledge  regarding 
which  their  testimony  is  sought. 

If,  however,  they  are  found  to  be  qualified — by  study 
and  practice — to  express  an  expert  opinion,  it  is  received 
with  the  utmost  respect  and  deference;  and  if  the  testi- 
mony of  one  expert  is  corroborated  by  others  equally  pro- 
ficient, the  testimony  of  each  additional  man  adds  im- 
mensely to  the  weight  of  the  previous  evidence. 

The  irrefutable  testimony  of  one  such  man  easily  coun- 
terbalances that  of  one  or  a  dozen  or  a  million  men  who 
know  nothing  of  that  whereof  they  speak,  for  nothing, 
even  though  multiplied  by  a  million,  will  still  remain 
nothing.  This  is  as  true  of  any  other  subject  as  of  mathe- 
matics. 

As  previously  said,  we  recognize  these  facts  readily 
enough  in  material  affairs,  but  when  things  beyond  the 
world  of  sense,  when  the  super-physical  world  is  under 


INTRODUCTION  21 

discussion;  when  the  relations  of  God  to  man,  the  inner- 
most mysteries  of  the  immortal  spark  of  divinity,  loosely 
termed  the  soul,  are  to  be  probed,  then  each  clamors  for 
as  serious  consideration  of  his  opinions  and  ideas  regard- 
ing spiritual  matters  as  is  given  to  the  sage,  who  by  a  life 
of  patient  and  toilsome  research  has  acquired  wisdom  in 
these  higher  things. 

Nay,  more;  many  will  not  even  content  themselves  with 
claiming  equal  consideration  for  their  opinions,  but  will 
even  jeer  and  scoff  at  the  words  of  the  sage,  seek  to  impugn 
his  testimony  as  fraud,  and,  with  the  supreme  confidence 
of  deepest  ignorance,  asseverate  that  as  they  know  nothing 
of  such  matters,  it  is  absolutely  impossible  that  anyone 
else  can. 

The  man  who  realizes  his  ignorance  has  taken  the  first 
step  toward  knowledge. 

The  path  to  first-hand  knowledge  is  not  easy.  Nothing 
worth  having  ever  comes  without  persistent  effort.  It  can- 
not be  too  often  repeated  that  there  are  no  such  things  as 
special  gifts  or  "luck."  All  that  anyone  is  or  has,  is  the 
result  of  effort.  What  one  lacks  in  comparison  with  an- 
other is  latent  in  himself  and  capable  of  development  by 
proper  methods. 

If  the  reader,  having  grasped  this  idea  thoroughly, 
should  ask,  what  he  must  do  to  obtain  this  first-hand 
knowledge,  the  following  story  may  serve  to  impress  the 
idea,  which  is  the  central  one  in  occultism : 

A  young  man  came  to  a  sage  one  day  and  asked,  "Sire, 
what  must  I  do  to  become  wise?"  The  sage  vouchsafed 
no  answer.  The  youth  after  repeating  his  question  a  num- 
ber of  times,  with  a  like  result,  at  last  left  him,  to  return 
the  next  day  with  the  same  question.  Again  no  answer  was 
given  and  the  youth  returned  on  the  third  day,  still  repeat- 


22  ROSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

ing  his  question,  "Sire,  what  must  I  do  to  become  wise?" 

Finally  the 'sage  turned  and  went  down  to  a  near-by 
river.  He  entered  the  water,  bidding  the  youth  follow  him. 
Upon  arriving  at  a  sufficient  depth  the  sage  took  the  young 
man  by  the  shoulders  and  held  him  under  the  water,  despite 
his  struggles  to  free  himself.  At  last,  however,  he  released 
him  and  when  the  youth  had  regained  his  breath  the  sage 
questioned  him: 

"Son,  when  you  were  under  the  water  what  did  you 
most  desire?" 

"The  youth  answered  without  hesitation,  "Air,  air! 
I  wanted  air!" 

"Would  you  not  rather  have  had  riches,  pleasure,  power 
or  love,  my  son?  Did  you  not  think  of  any  of  these?" 
queried  the  sage. 

"No,  sire!  I  wanted  air  and  thought  only  of  air,"  came 
the  instant  response. 

"Then,"  said  the  sage,  "to  become  wise  you  must  desire 
wisdom  with  as  great  intensity  as  you  just  now  desired  air. 
You  must  struggle  for  it,  to  the  exclusion  of  every  other 
aim  in  life.  It  must  be  your  one  and  only  aspiration,  by 
day  and  by  night.  If  you  seek  wisdom  with  that  fervor, 
my  son,  you  will  surely  beeome  wise." 

That  is  the  first  and  central  requisite  the  aspirant  to 
occult  knowledge  must  possess — an  unswerving  desire,  a 
burning  thirst  for  knowledge ;  a  zeal  that  allows  no  obstacle 
to  conquer  it;  but  the  supreme  motive  for  seeking  this 
occult  knowledge  must  be  an  ardent  desire  to  benefit  hu- 
manity, entirely  disregarding  self  in  order  to  work  for 
others.  Unless  prompted  by  that  motive,  occult  knowledge 
is  dangerous. 

Without  possessing  these  qualifications — especially  the 
latter—in  some  measure,  any  attempt  to  tread  the  arduous 


INTRODUCTION  23 

path  of  occultism  would  be  a  hazardous  undertaking.  An- 
other prerequisite  to  this  first-hand  knowledge,  however,  is 
the  study  of  occultism  at  second-hand.  Certain  occult  pow- 
ers are  necessary  for  the  first-hand  investigation  of  matters 
connected  with  the  pre-natal  and  post-mortem  states  of 
man,  but  no  one  need  despair  of  acquiring  information 
about  these  conditions  because  of  undeveloped  occult  pow- 
ers. As  a  man  may  know  about  Africa  either  by  going 
there  personally  or  by  reading  descriptions  written  by  trav- 
elers who  have  been  there,  so  may  he  visit  the  super- 
physical  realms  if  he  will  but  qualify  himself  therefor,  or 
he  may  learn  what  others  who  have  so  qualified  themselves 
repojt  as  a  result  of  their  investigations. 

Christ  said,  "The  Truth  shall  make  you  free,*  but  Truth 
is  not  found  once  and  forever.  Truth  is  eternal,  and  the 
quest  for  Truth  must  also  be  eternal.  Occultism  knows 
of  no  "faith  once  for  all  delivered."  There  are  certain 
basic  truths  which  remain,  but  which  may  be  looked  at 
from  many  sides,  each  giving  a  different  view,  which  com- 
plements the  previous  ones;  therefore,  so  far  as  we  can 
see  at  present,  there  is  no  such  achievement  possible  as 
arriving  at  the  ultimate  truth. 

Wherein  this  work  differs  from  some  philosophical  works 
the  variations  are  caused  by  difference  of  viewpoint,  and 
all  respect  is  paid  to  the  conclusions  reached  and  the  ideas 
set  forth  by  other  investigators.  It  is  the  earnest  hope  of 
the  writer  that  the  study  of  the  following  pages  may  help 
to  make  the  student's  ideas  fuller  and  more  rounded  than 
they  were  before. 


CHAPTER  I. 
THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS. 

THE  first  step  in  Occultism  is  the  study  of  the  invisi- 
ble Worlds.  These  Worlds  are  invisible  to  the 
majority  of  people  because  of  the  dormancy  of  the 
finer  and  higher  senses  whereby  they  may  be  perceived,  in 
the  same  way  that  the  Physical  World  about  us  is  per- 
ceived through  the  physical  senses.  The  majority  of  peo- 
ple are  on  a  similar  footing  in  regard  to  the  super-physical 
Worlds  as  the  man  who  is  born  blind  is  to  our  world  of 
sense;  although  light  and  color  are  all  about  him,  he  is 
unable  to  see  them.  To  him  they  are  non-existent  and 
incomprehensible,  simply  because  he  lacks  the  sense  of  sight 
wherewith  to  perceive  them.  Objects  he  can  feel;  they 
seem  real ;  but  light  and  color '  are  beyond  his  ken. 

So  with  the  greater  part  of  humanity.  They  feel,  and 
see  objects  and  hear  sounds  in  the  Physical  World,  but  the 
other  realms,  which  the  clairvoyant  calls  the  higher  Worlds, 
are  as  incomprehensible  to  them  as  light  and  color  are  to 
the  blind  man.  Because  the  blind  man  cannot  see  color 
and  light,  however,  is  no  argument  against  their  existence 
and  reality.  Neither  is  it  an  argument,  that  because  most 
people  cannot  see  the  super-physical  Worlds  no  one  can  do 
so.  If  the  blind  man  obtains  his  sight,  he  will  see  light 
and  color.  If  the  higher  senses  of  those  blind  to  the  super- 
physical  Worlds  are  awakened  by  proper  methods,  they 

24 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  25 

also  will  be  able  to  behold  the  Worlds  which  are  now  hidden 
from  them. 

While  many  people  make  the  mistake  of  being  incredu- 
lous concerning  the  existence  or  reality  of  the  super-sensu- 
ous Worlds,  there  are  also  many  who  go  to  the  other  ex- 
treme, and,  having  become  convinced  of  the  verity  of  invisi- 
ble Worlds,  think  that  when  a  person  is  clairvoyant  all 
truth  is  at  once  open  to  him ;  that  when  one  can  "see,"  he 
at  once  "knows  all  about"  these  higher  Worlds. 

This  is  a  great  mistake.  We  readily  recognize  the  fal- 
lacy of  such  a  contention  in  matters  of  everyday  life.  We 
do  not  think  that  a  man  who  was  born  blind,  but  has  ob- 
tained his  sight,  at  once  "knows  all  about"  the  Physical 
World.  Nay,  more;  we  know  that  even  those  of  us  who 
have  been  able  to  see  the  things  about  us  all  our  lives  are 
far  from  having  a  universal  knowledge  of  them.  We  know 
that  it  requires  arduous  study  and  years  of  application  to 
know  about  even  that  infinitesimal  part  of  things  that  we 
handle  in  our  daily  lives,  and  reversing  the  Hermetic 
aphorism,  "as  above,  so  below,"  we  gather  at  once  that  it 
must  be  the  same  in  the  other  Worlds.  At  the  same  time 
it  is -also  true  that  there  are  much  greater  facilities  for 
acquiring  knowledge  in  the  super-physical  Worlds  than  in 
our  present  dense  physical  condition,  but  not  so  great  as 
to  eliminate  the  necessity  for  close  study  and  the  possi- 
bility of  making  a  mistake  in  observation.  In  fact,  all  the 
testimony  of  reliable  and  qualified  observers  prove  that 
much  more  care  in  observation  is  needed  there  than  here. 

Clairvoyants  must  first  be  trained  before  their  observa- 
tions are  of  any  real  value,  and  the  more  proficient  they  be- 
come the  more  modest  are  they  about  telling  of  what  they 
pee;  the  more  do  they  defer  to  the  versions  of  others,  know- 
ing how  much  there  is  to  learn  and  realizing  how  little  the 


26  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

single  investigator  can  grasp  of  all  the  detail  incident  to 
his  investigations. 

This  also  accounts  for  the  varied  versions,  which  super- 
ficial people  think  is  an  argument  against  the  existence  of 
the  higher  Worlds.  They  contend  that  if  these  Worlds 
exist,  investigators  must  necessarily  bring  back  identical 
descriptions.  If  we  take  an  illustration  from  everyday 
life,  the  fallacy  of  this  becomes  apparent. 

Suppose  a  newspaper  sends  twenty  reporters  to  a  city 
with  orders  to  "write  it  up."  Reporters  are,  or  ought  to 
be,  trained  observers.  It  is  their  business  to  see  every- 
thing and  they  should  be  able  to  give  as  good  descriptions 
as  can  be  expected  from  any  source.  Yet  it  is  certain  that 
of  the  twenty  reports,  no  two  would  be  exactly  alike.  It  is 
much  more  likely  that  they  would  be  totally  different. 
Although  some  of  them  might  contain  leading  features  in 
common,  others  might  be  unique  in  quality  and  quantity  of 
description. 

Is  it  an  argument  against  the  existence  of  the  city  that 
these  reports  differ  ?  Certainly  not !  It  is  easily  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that  each  saw  the  city  from  his  own  par- 
ticular point  of  view  and  instead  of  these  varying  reports 
being  confusing  and  detrimental,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a 
perusal  of  them  all  would  give  a  fuller,  better  understand- 
ing and  description  of  the  city  than  if  only  one  were  read 
and  the  others  thrown  in  the  waste-basket.  Each  report 
would  round  out  and  complement  the  others. 

The  same  is  true  regarding  accounts  made  by  investi- 
gators of  the  higher  Worlds.  Each  has  his  own  peculiar 
way  of  looking  at  things  and  can  describe  only  what  he 
sees  from  his  particular  point  of  view.  The  account  he 
gives  may  differ  from  those  of  others,  yet  all  be  equally 
truthful  from  each  individual  observer's  viewpoint. 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  27 

It  is  sometimes  asked,  Why  investigate  these  Worlds? 
Why  is  it  not  best  to  take  one  World  at  a  time ;  to  be  con- 
tent for  the  present  with  the  lessons  to  be  learned  in  the 
Physical  World,  and,  if  there  are  invisible  Worlds  why  not 
wait  until  we  reach  them  before  investigating  ?  "Sufficient 
unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof !"  Why  borrow  more  ? 

If  we  knew  without  doubt  that  at  some  time,  sooner  or 
later,  each  one  of  us  must  be  transported  to  a  far  country 
where,  under  new  and  strange  conditions,  we  must  live  for 
many  years,  is  it  not  reasonable  to  believe  that  if  we  had 
an  opportunity  to  learn  of  that  country  in  advance  of  our 
removal  to  it  we  would  gladly  do  so?  Knowledge  would 
render  it  much  easier  for  us  to  accommodate  ourselves  to 
new  conditions. 

There  is  only  one  certainty  in  life  and  that  is — Death ! 
As  we  pass  into  the  beyond  and  are  confronted  by  new 
conditions,  knowledge  of  them  is  sure  to  be  of  the  greatest 
help. 

But  that  is  not  all.  To  understand  the  Physical  World, 
which  is  the  world  of  effects,  it  is  necessary  to  understand 
the  super-physical  World,  which  is  the  world  of  causes. 
We  see  street  cars  in  motion  and  we  hear  the  clicking  of 
telegraph  instruments,  but  the  mysterious  force  which 
causes  the  phenomena  remains  invisible  to  us.  We  say  it 
is  electricity,  but  the  name  gives  us  no  explanation.  We 
learn  nothing  of  the  force  itself;  we  see  and  hear  only  its 
effects. 

If  a  dish  of  cold  water  be  placed  in  an  atmosphere  of  a 
sufficiently  low  temperature  ice  crystals  immediately  begin 
to  form  and  we  can  see  the  process  of  their  formation. 
The  lines  along  which  the  water  crystallizes  were  in  it  all 
the  time  as  lines  of  force  but  they  were  invisible  until  the 
water  congealed.  The  beautiful  "frost  flowers''  on  a  win- 


gg  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

dowpane  are  visible  manifestations  of  currents  of  the  higher 
Worlds  which  operate  upon  us  all  the  time,  unrecognized  by 
most  of  us,  but  none  the  less  potent. 

The  higher  Worlds  are  thus  the  worlds  of  causes,  of 
forces;  and  we  cannot  really  understand  this  lower  World 
unless  we  know  the  others  and  realize  the  forces  and  causes 
of  which  all  material  things  are  but  the  effects. 

As  to  the  reality  of  these  higher  Worlds  compared  with 
that  of  the  Physical  World,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  these 
higher  Worlds,  which  to  the  majority  appear  as  mirages,  or 
even  less  substantial,  are,  in  truth,  much  more  real  and 
the  objects  in  them  more  lasting  and  indestructible  than 
the  objects  in  the  Physical  World.  If  we  take  an  example 
we  shall  readily  see  this.  An  architect  does  not  start  to 
build  a  house  by  procuring  the  material  and  setting  the 
workmen  to  laying  stone  upon  stone  in  a  haphazard  way, 
without  thought  or  plan.  He  "thinks  the  house  out." 
Gradually  it  takes  form  in  his  mind  and  finally  there 
stands  a  clear  idea  of  the  house  that  is  to  be — a  thought- 
form  of  a  house. 

This  house  is  yet  invisible  to  all  but  the  architect.  He 
makes  it  objective  on  paper.  He  draws  the  plans  and 
from  this  objective  image  of  the  thought-form  the  work- 
men construct  the  house  of  wood,  iron,  or  stone,  accurately 
corresponding  to  the  thought-form  originated  by  the 
architect. 

Thus  the  thought-form  becomes  a  material  reality.  The 
materialist  would  assert  that  it  is  much  more  real,  lasting 
and  substantial  than  the  image  in  the  architect's  mind. 
But  let  us  see.  The  house  could  not  have  been  constructed 
without  the  thought-form.  The  material  object  can  be  de- 
stroyed by  dynamite,  earthquake,  fire,  or  decay,  but  the 
thought-form  will  remain.  It  will  exist  as  long  as  the 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  29 

architect  lives  and  from  it  any  number  of  houses  similar  to 
the  one  destroyed  may  be  constructed.  Not  even  the  archi- 
tect himself  can  destroy  it.  Even  after  his  death  this 
thought-form  can  be  recovered  by  those  who  are  qualified  to 
read  the  memory  of  nature,  which  will  be  dealt  with  later. 
Having  thus  seen  the  reasonableness  of  such  Worlds 
existing  around  and  about  us,  and  having  satisfied  ourselves 
of  their  reality,  their  permanency,  and  of  the  utility  of  a 
knowledge  concerning  them,  we  shall  now  examine  them 
severally  and  singly,  commencing  with  the  Physical  World. 

CHEMICAL  REGION  OF  THE  PHYSICAL  WORLD. 

In  the  Rosicrucian  teaching  the  universe  is  divided  into 
seven  different  Worlds,  or  states  of  matter,  as  follows: 

I—World  of  God. 

2 — World  of  Virgin  Spirits. 

3— World  of  Divine  Spirit. 

4— World  of  Life  Spirit. 

5— World  of  Thought. 

6 — Desire  World. 

7 — Physical  World. 

This  division  is  not  arbitrary  but  necessary,  because  the 
substance  of  each  of  these  Worlds  is  amenable  to  laws  which 
are  practically  inoperative  in  the  others.  For  instance,  in 
the  Physical  World,  matter  is  subject  to  gravity,  contrac- 
tion and  expansion.  In  the  Desire  World  there  is  neither 
heat  nor  cold,  and  forms  levitate  as  easily  as  they  gravitate. 
Distance  and  time  are  also  governing  factors  of  existence  in 
the  Physical  World,  but  are  almost  non-existent  in  the 
Desire  World. 

The  matter  of  these  worlds  also  varies  in  density,  the 
Physical  World  being  the  densest  of  the  seven. 

Each  World  is  subdivided  into  seven  Regions  or  sub- 


30  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

divisions  of  matter.  In  the  Physical  World  the  solids, 
liquids  and  gases  form  the  three  denser  subdivisions,  the 
remaining  four  being  ethers  of  varying  densities.  In  the 
other  Worlds  similar  subdivisions  are  necessary,  because  the 
matter  of  which  they  are  composed  is  not  of  uniform 
density. 

There  are  still  two  further  distinctions  to  be  made.  The 
three  dense  subdivisions  of  the  Physical  World — the  solids, 
liquids  and  gases — constitute  what  is  termed  the  Chemical 
Region.  The  substance  in  this  Region  is  the  basis  of  all 
dense  Form. 

The  Ether  is  also  physical  matter.  It  is  not  homogene- 
ous, as  material  science  alleges,  but  exists  in  four  different 
states.  It  is  the  medium  of  ingress  for  the  quickening 
spirit  which  imparts  vitality  to  the  Forms  in  the  Chemical 
Region.  The  four  finer  or  etheric  subdivisions  of  the 
Physical  World  constitute  what  is  known  as  the  Etheric 
Region. 

In  the  World  of  Thought  the  three  higher  subdivisions 
are  the  basis  of  abstract  thought,  hence  they,  collectively, 
are  called  the  Region  of  Abstract  Thought.  The  four 
denser  subdivisions  supply  the  mind-stuff  in  which  we 
embody  and  concrete  our  ideas  and  are  therefore  termed  the 
Region  of  Concrete  Thought. 

The  careful  consideration  given  by  the  occultist  to  the 
characteristics  of  the  Physical  World  might  seem  super- 
fluous were  it  not  that  he  regards  all  things  from  a  view 
point  differing  widely  from  that  of  the  materialist.  The 
latter  recognizes  three  states  of  matter — solids,  liquids, 
and  gases.  These  are  all  chemical,  because  derived  from 
the  chemical  constituents  of  the  Earth.  From  this  chem- 
ical matter  all  the  forms  of  mineral,  plant,  animal,  and 
man  have  been  built,  hence  they  are  as  truly  chemical  as 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WOBLDS  31 

the  substances  which  are  commonly  so  termed.  Thus 
whether  we  consider  the  mountain  or  the  cloud  that  en- 
velops its  top,  the  juice  of  the  .plant  or  the  bloqd  of  the 
animal,  the  spider's  thread,  the  wing  of  the  butterfly  or 
the  bones  of  the  elephant,  the  air  we  breathe  or  the  water 
we  drink — all  are  composed  of  the  same  chemical  sub- 
stance. 

What  is  it  then  which  determines  the  conformation  of 
this  basic  substance  into  the  multiplex  variety  of  Forms 
which  we  see  about  us?  It  is  the  One  Universal  Spirit,  ex- 
pressing Itself  in  the  visible  world  as  four  great  streams 
of  Life,  at  varying  stages  of  development.  This  fourfold 
spiritual  impulse  molds  the  chemical  matter  of  the  Earth 
into  the  variegated  forms  of  the  four  Kingdoms — mineral, 
plant,  animal,  and  man.  When  a  form  has  served  its 
purpose  as  a  vehicle  of  expression  for  the  three  higher 
streams  of  life,  the  chemical  forces  disintegrate  that  form 
so  that  the  matter  may  be  returned  to  its  primordial  state, 
and  thus  made  available  for  the  building  of  new  forms. 
The  spirit  or  life  which  molds  the  form  into  an  expression 
of  itself  is,  therefore,  as  extraneous  to  the  matter  it  uses 
as  a  carpenter  is  apart  from  and  personally  independent 
of  the  house  he  builds  for  his  own  occupancy. 

As  all  the  forms  of  mineral,  plant,  animal,  and  man  are 
chemical,  they  must  logically  be  as  dead  and  devoid  of 
feeling  as  chemical  matter  in  its  primitive  state,  and  the 
Rosicrucian  asserts  that  they  are. 

Some  scientists  contend  that  there  is  feeling  in  all  tissue, 
living  or  dead,  to  whatever  kingdom  it  belongs.  They  in- 
clude even  the  substances  ordinarily  classed  as  mineral  in 
their  category  of  objects  having  feeling,  and  to  prove  their 
contentions  they  submit  diagrams  with  curves  of  energy 
obtained  from  tests.  Another  class  of  investigators  teach 


32  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

that  there  is  no  feeling  even  in  the  human  body,  except  in 
the  brain,  which  is  the  seat  of  feeling.  They  say  it  is  the 
brain  and  not  the  finger  which  feels  the  pain  when  the 
latter  is  injured.  Thus  is  the  house  of  Science  divided 
against  itself  on  this  as  on  most  other  points.  The  posi- 
tion taken  by  each  is  partly  right.  It  depends  upon  what 
we  mean  by  "feeling."  If  we  mean  simply  response  to 
impacts,  such  as  the  rebound  of  a  rubber  ball  that  is 
dropped  to  the  ground,  of  course  it  is  correct  to  attribute 
feeling  to  mineral,  plant,  and  animal  tissue;  but  if  we 
mean  pleasure  and  pain,  love  and  hate,  joy  and  sorrow,  it 
would  be  absurd  to  attribute  them  to  the  lower  forms  of 
life,  to  detached  tissue,  to  minerals  in  their  native  state, 
or  even  to  the  brain,  because  such  feelings  are  expressions 
of  the  self-conscious  immortal  spirit,  and  the  brain  is  only 
the  keyboard  of  the  wonderful  instrument  upon  which  the 
human  spirit  plays  its  symphony  of  life,  just  as  the  musi- 
cian expresses  himself  upon  his  violin. 

As  there  are  people  who  are  quite  unable  to  understand 
that  there  must  be  and  are  higher  Worlds,  so  there  are 
some  who,  having  become  slightly  acquainted  with  the 
higher  realms,  acquire  the  habit  of  undervaluing  this  Phys- 
ical World.  Such  an  attitude  is  as  incorrect  as  that  of 
the  materialist.  The  great  and  wise  Beings  who  carry 
out  the  will  and  design  of  God  placed  us  in  this  physical 
environment  to  learn  great  and  important  lessons  which 
could  not  be  learned  under  other  conditions,  and  it  is  our 
duty  to  use  our  knowledge  of  the  higher  Worlds  in  learn- 
ing to  the  best  of  our  ability  the  lessons  which  this  mate- 
rial world  has  to  teach  us. 

In  one  sense  the  Physical  World  is  a  sort  of  model  school 
or  experiment  station  to  teach  us  to  work  correctly  in  the 
others.  It  does  this  whether  or  not  we  know  of  the  ex- 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  33 

istence  of  those  other  worlds,  thereby  proving  the  great 
wisdom  of  the  originators  of  the  plan.  If  we  had  knowl- 
edge of  none  but  the  higher  Worlds,  we  would  make  many 
mistakes  which  would  become  apparent  only  when  physical 
conditions  are  brought  to  bear  as  a  criterion.  To  illus- 
trate: Let  us  imagine  the  case  of  an  inventor  working 
out  his  idea  of  a  machine.  First  he  builds  the  machine  in 
thought,  and  in  his  mind  he  sees  it  complete  and  in  oper- 
ation, performing  most  beautifully  the  work  it  is  designed 
to  do.  He  next  makes  a  drawing  of  the  design,  and  in 
doing  so  perhaps  finds  that  modification  in  his  first  con- 
ception are  necessary.  When,  from  the  drawings,  he  has 
become  satisfied  that  the  plan  is  feasible,  he  proceeds  to 
build  the  actual  machine  from  suitable  material. 

Now  it  is  almost  certain  that  still  further  modifications 
will  be  found  necessary  before  the  machine  will  work  as 
intended.  It  may  be  found  that  it  must  be  entirely  re- 
modeled, or  even  that  it  is  altogether  useless  in  its  present 
form,  must  be  discarded  and  a  new  plan  evolved.  But 
mark  this,  for  here  is  the  point :  the  new  idea  or  plan  will 
be  formulated  for  the  purpose  of  eliminating  the  defects 
in  the  useless  machine.  Had  there  been  no  material  ma- 
chine constructed,  thereby  making  evident  the  faults  of  the 
first  idea,  a  second  and  correct  idea  would  not  have  been 
formed. 

This  applies  equally  to  all  conditions  of  life — social, 
mercantile,  and  philanthropic.  Many  plans  appear  ex- 
cellent to  those  conceiving  them,  and  may  even  look  well 
on  paper,  but  when  brought  down  to  the  actual  test  of 
utility  they  often  fail.  That,  however,  should  not  discour- 
age us.  It  is  true  that  "we  learn  more  from  our  mistakes 
than  from  our  successes,"  and  the  proper  light  in  which 
to  regard  this  Physical  World  is  as  a  school  of  valuable 


34  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

experience,  in  which  we  learn  lessons  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance. 

THE  ETHERIC  REGION  OF  THE  PHYSICAL  WORLD. 

As  soon  as  we  enter  this  realm  of  nature  we  are  in  the 
invisible,  intangible  World,  where  our  ordinary  senses  fail 
us,  hence  this  part  of  the  Physical  World  is  practically 
unexplored  by  material  science. 

Air  is  invisible,  yet  modern  science  knows  that  it  ex- 
ists. By  means  of  instruments  its  velocity  as  wind  can  be 
measured;  by  compression  it  can  be  made  visible  as  liquid 
air.  With  ether,  however,  that  is  not  so  easy.  Material 
science  finds  that  it  is  necessary  to  account  in  some  way 
for  the  transmission  of  electricity,  with  or  without  wires. 
It  is  forced  to  postulate  some  substance  of  a  finer  kind 
than  it  knows,  and  it  calls  that  substance  "ether."  It  does 
not  really  know  that  ether  exists,  as  the  ingenuity  of  the 
scientist  has  not,  as  yet,  been  able  to  devise  a  vessel  in 
which  it  is  possible  to  confine  this  substance,  which  is  alto- 
gether too  elusive  for  the  comfort  of  the  "wizard  of  the 
laboratory."  He  cannot  measure,  weigh,  nor  analyze  it 
by  any  apparatus  now  at  his  disposal. 

Truly,  the  achievements  of  modern  science  are  marvel- 
ous. The  best  way  to  learn  the  secrets  of  nature,  however, 
is  not  by  inventing  instruments,  but  by  improving  the  in- 
vestigator himself.  Man  has  within  himself  faculties 
which  eliminate  distance  and  compensate  for  lack  of  size 
to  a  degree  as  much  greater  than  the  power  of  telescope 
and  microscope  as  theirs  exceeds  that  of  the  naked  eye. 
These  senses  or  faculties  are  the  means  of  investigation 
used  by  occultists.  They  are  their  "open  sesame"  in 
searching  for  truth. 

To  the  trained  clairvoyant  ether  is  as  tangible  as  are 
the  solids,  liquids,  and  gases  of  the  Chemical  Region  to 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  35 

ordinary  beings.  He  sees  that  the  vital  forces  which  give 
life  to  the  mineral  forms  of  plant,  animal  and  man  flow 
into  these  forms,  by  means  of  the  four  states  of  ether. 
The  names  and  specific  functions  of  these  four  ethers  are 
as  follow: 

(1)  Chemical  Ether. — This  ether  is  both  positive  and 
negative  in  its  manifestation.    The  forces  which  cause  as- 
similation and  excretion  work  through  it.     Assimilation 
is  the  process  whereby  the  different  nutritive  elements  of 
food  are  incorporated  into  the  body  of  plant,  animal  and 
man.     This  is  carried  on  by  forces  with  which  we  shall 
become  acquainted  later.     They  work  along  the  positive 
pole  of  the  chemical  ether  and  attract  the  needed  elements, 
building  them  into  the  forms   concerned.      These    forces 
do  not  act  blindly  nor  mechanically,  but  in  a  selective  way 
(well-known  to  scientists  by  its  effects)    thereby    accom- 
plishing their  purpose,  which  is  the  growth  and  mainte- 
nance of  the  body. 

Excretion  is  carried  on  by  forces  of  the  same  kind,  but 
working  along  the  negative  pole  of  the  chemical  ether. 
By  means  of  this  pole  they  expel  from  the  body  the  mate- 
rials in  the  food  which  are  unfit  for  use,  or  those  which 
have  outlived  their  usefulness  in  the  body  and  should  be 
expurgated  from  the  system.  This,  like  all  other  proc- 
esses independent  of  man's  volition,  is  also  wise,  selective, 
and  not  merely  mechanical  in  its  operation,  as  seen,  for 
instance,  in  the  case  of  the  action  of  the  kidneys,  where 
only  the  urine  is  filtered  through  when  the  organs  are  in 
health;  but  it  is  known  that  when  the  organs  are  not  in 
health,  the  valuable  albumen  is  allowed  to  escape  with 
the  urine,  the  proper  selection  not  being  made  because  of 
an  abnormal  condition. 

(2)  Life  Ether. — As  the  chemical  ether  is  the  avenue 


36  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

for  the  operation  of  the  forces  the  object  of  which  is  the 
maintenance  of  the  individual  form,  so  the  life  ether  is 
the  avenue  for  the  operation  of  the  forces  which  have  for 
their  object  the  maintenance  of  the  species — the  forces  of 
propagation. 

Like  the  chemical  ether,  the  life  ether  also  has  its  posi- 
tive and  negative  pole.  The  forces  which  work  along  the 
positive  pole  are  those  which  work  in  the  female  during 
gestation.  They  enable  her  to  do  the  positive,  active  work 
of  bringing  forth  a  new  being.  On  the  other  hand  the 
forces  which  work  along  the  negative  pole  of  the  life  ether 
enable  the  male  to  produce  semen. 

In  the  work  on  the  impregnated  ovum  of  the  animal 
and  man,  or  upon  the  seed  of  the  plant,  the  forces  working 
along  the  positive  pole  of  the  life  ether  produce  male 
plants,  animals  and  men;  while  the  forces  which  express 
themselves  through  the  negative  pole  generate  females. 

(3)  Light  Ether. — This  ether  is  both  positive  and  nega- 
tive, and  the  forces  which  play  along  its  positive  pole  are 
the  forces  which  generate  that  blood  heat  in  the  higher 
species  of  animal  and  in  man,  which  makes  them  individ- 
ual sources  of  heat.  The  forces  which  work  along  the 
negative  pole  of  the  light  ether  are  those  which  operate 
through  the  senses,  manifesting  as  the  passive  functions 
of  sight,  hearing,  feeling,  tasting,  and  smelling.  They 
also  build  and  nourish  the  eye. 

In  the  cold-blooded  animals  the  positive  pole  of  the 
light  ether  is  the  avenue  of  the  forces  which  circulate  the 
blood,  and  the  negative  forces  have  the  same  functions 
in  regard  to  the  eye  as  in  the  case  of  the  higher  animals 
and  man.  Where  eyes  are  lacking,  the  forces  working  in 
the  negative  pole  of  the  light  ether  are  perhaps  building 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  37 

or  nourishing  other  sense  organs,  as  they  do  in  all  that 
have  sense  organs. 

In  plants  the  forces  which  work  along  the  positive  pole 
of  the  light  ether  cause  the  circulation  of  the  juices  of  the 
plant.  Thus  in  winter,  when  the  light  ether  is  not  charged 
with  sunlight  as  in  summer,  the  sap  ceases  to  flow  until 
the  summer  sun  again  invests  the  light  ether  with 
its  force.  The  forces  which  work  along  the  negative  pole 
of  the  light  ether  deposit  the  chlorophyl,  the  green  sub- 
stance  of  the  plant  and  also  color  the  flowers.  In  fact,  all 
color,  in  all  the  kingdoms  is  deposited  by  means  of  the 
negative  pole  of  the  light  ether.  Therefore  animals  have 
the  deepest  color  on  the  back  and  flowers  are  deepest  col- 
ored on  the  side  turned  towards  the  light.  In  the  polar 
regions  of  the  earth,  where  the  rays  of  the  sun  are  weak, 
all  color  is  lighter  and  in  some  cases  is  so  sparingly  de- 
posited that  in  winter  it  is  withdrawn  altogether  and  the 
animals  become  white. 

(4)  Reflecting  Ether. — It  has  heretofore  been  stated 
that  the  idea  of  the  house  which  has  existed  in  the  mind 
can  be  recovered  from  the  memory  of  nature,  even  after  the 
death  of  the  architect.  Everything  that  has  ever  hap- 
pened has  left  behind  it  an  ineffaceable  picture  in  this 
reflecting  ether.  As  the  giant  ferns  of  the  childhood  of 
the  Earth  have  left  their  pictures  in  the  coal  beds,  and 
as  the  progress  of  the  glacier  of  a  bygone  day  may  be 
traced  by  means  of  the  trail  it  has  left  upon  the  rocks 
along  its  path,  even  so  are  the  thoughts  and  acts  of  men 
ineffaceably  recorded  by  nature  in  this  reflecting  ether, 
where  the  trained  seer  may  read  their  story  with  an  ac- 
curacy commensurate  with  his  ability. 

The  reflecting  ether  deserves  its  name  for  more  than 
one  reason,  for  the  pictures  in  it  are  but  reflections  of  the 


38  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

memory  of  nature.  The  real  memory  of  nature  is  found 
in  a  much  higher  realm.  In  this  reflecting  ether  no  thor- 
oughly trained  clairvoyant  cares  to  read,  as  the  pictures 
are  blurred  and  vague  compared  to  those  found  in  the 
higher  realm.  Those  who  read  in  the  reflecting  ether  are 
generally  those  who  have  no  choice,  who,  in  fact,  do  not 
know  in  what  they  are  reading.  As  a  rule  ordinary  psy- 
chometrists  and  mediums  obtain  their  knowledge  through 
the  reflecting  ether.  To  some  slight  extent  the  pupil  of 
the  occult  school  in  the  first  stages  of  his  training  also 
reads  in  the  reflecting  ether,  but  he  is  warned  by  his 
teacher  of  the  insufficiencies  of  this  ether  as  a  means  of 
acquiring  accurate  information,  so  that  he  does  not  easily 
draw  wrong  conclusions. 

This  ether  is  also  the  medium  through  which  thought 
makes  an  impression  upon  the  human  brain.  It  is  most 
intimately  connected  with  the  fourth  subdivision  of  the 
World  of  Thought.  This  is  the  highest  of  the  four  sub- 
divisions contained  in  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought 
and  is  the  homeworld  of  the  human  mind.  There  a  much 
clearer  version  of  the  memory  of  nature  is  found  than  in 
the  reflecting  ether. 

THE  DESIRE  WORLD. 

Like  the  Physical  World,  and  every  other  realm  of 
nature,  the  Desire  World  has  the  seven  subdivisions  called 
"Regions,"  but  unlike  the  Physical  World,  it  does  not  have 
the  great  divisions  corresponding  to  the  Chemical  and 
Etheric  Regions.  Desire-stuff  in  the  Desire  World  per- 
sists through  its  seven  subdivisions  or  regions  as  material 
for  the  embodiment  of  desire.  As  the  Chemical  Region 
is  the  realm  of  form  and  as  the  Etheric  Region  is  the 
home  of  the  forces  carrying  on  life  activities  in  those 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  39 

forms,  enabling  them  to  live,  move  and  propagate,  so  the 
forces  in  the  Desire  World,  working  in  the  quickened  dense 
body,  impel  it  to  move  in  this  or  that  direction. 

If  there  were  only  the  activities  of  the  Chemical  and 
Etheric  Regions  of  the  Physical  World,  there  would  be 
forms  having  life,  able  to  move,  but  with  no  incentive  for 
so  doing.  This  incentive  is  supplied  by  the  cosmic  forces 
active  in  the  Desire  World  and  without  this  activity  play- 
ing through  every  fibre  of  the  vitalized  body,  urging 
action  in  this  direction  or  that,  there  would  be  no  experi- 
ence and  no  moral  growth.  The  functions  of  the  different 
ethers  would  take  care  of  the  growth  of  the  form,  but 
moral  growth  would  be  entirely  lacking.  Evolution  would 
be  an  impossibility,  both  as  to  form  and  life,  for  it  is  only 
in  response  to  the  acquirements  of  spiritual  growth  that 
forms  evolve  to  higher  states.  Thus  we  at  once  see  the 
great  importance  of  this  realm  of  nature. 

Desires,  wishes,  passions,  and  feelings  express  them- 
selves in  the  matter  of  the  different  regions  of  the  De- 
sire World  as  form  and  feature  express  themselves  in  the 
Chemical  Region  of  the  Physical  World.  They  take  forms 
which  last  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  according  to  the 
intensity  of  the  desire,  wish,  or  feeling  embodied  in  them. 
In  the  Desire  World  the  distinction  between  the  forces 
and  the  matter  is  not  so  definite  and  apparent  as  in  the 
Physical  World.  One  might  almost  say  that  here  the 
ideas  of  force  and  matter  are  identical  or  interchange- 
able. It  is  not  quite  so,  but  we  may  say  that  to  a  certain 
extent  the  Desire  World  consists  of  force-matter. 

When  speaking  of  the  matter  of  the  Desire  World,  it  is 
true  that  it  is  one  degree  less  dense  than  the  matter  of 
the  Physical  World,  but  we  entertain  an  entirely  wrong 
idea  if  we  imagine  it  is  finer  physical  matter.  That  idea, 


40  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

though  held  by  many  who  have  studied  occult  philosophies, 
is  entirely  erroneous.  The  wrong  impression  is  caused 
principally  by  the  difficulty  of  giving  the  full  and  accurate 
description  necessary  for  a  thorough  understanding  of  the 
higher  worlds.  Unfortunately,  our  language  is  descriptive 
of  material  things  and  therefore  entirely  inadequate  to 
describe  the  conditions  of  the  super-physical  realms,  hence 
all  that  is  said  about  these  realms  must  be  taken  tenta- 
tively, as  similes,  rather  than  as  accurate  descriptions. 

Though  the  mountain  and  the  daisy,  the  man,  the  horse, 
and  a  piece  of  iron,  are  composed  of  one  ultimate  atomic 
substance,  we  do  not  say  that  the  daisy  is  a  finer  form  of 
iron.  Similarly  it  is  impossible  to  explain  in  words  the 
change  or  difference  in  physical  matter  when  it  is  broken 
up  into  desire-stuff.  If  there  were  no  difference  it  would 
be  amenable  to  the  laws  of  the  Physical  World,  which  it 
is  not. 

The  law  of  matter  of  the  Chemical  Region  is  inertia — 
the  tendency  to  remain  in  statu  quo.  It  takes  a  certain 
amount  of  force  to  overcome  this  inertia  and  cause  a  body 
which  is  at  rest  to  move,  or  to  stop  a  body  in  motion.  Not 
so  with  the  matter  of  the  Desire  World.  That  matter  itself 
is  almost  living.  It  is  in  unceasing  motion,  fluid,  taking 
all  imaginable  and  unimaginable  forms  with  inconceivable 
facility  and  rapidity,  at  the  same  time  coruscating  and 
scintillating  in  a  thousand  ever-changing  shades  of  color, 
incomparable  to  anything  we  know  in  this  physical  state 
of  consciousness.  Something  very  faintly  resembling  the 
action  and  appearance  of  this  matter  will  be  seen  in  the 
play  of  colors  on  an  abalone  shell  when  held  in  the  sun- 
light and  moved  to  and  fro. 

That  is  what  the  Desire  World  is — ever-changing  light 
and  color — in  which  the  forces  of  animal  and  man  inter- 


THE   VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WOKLDS  41 

mingle  with  the  forces  of  innumerable  Hierarchies  of  spirit- 
ual beings  which  do  not  appear  in  our  Physical  World, 
but  are  as  active  in  the  Desire  World  as  we  are  here.  Some 
of  them  will  be  dealt  with  later  and  their  connection  with 
man's  evolution  described. 

The  forces  sent  out  by  this  vast  and  varied  host  of  Be- 
ings molds  the  ever-changing  matter  of  the  Desire  World 
into  innumerable  and  differing  forms  of  more  or  less 
durability,  according  to  the  kinetic  energy  of  the  impulse 
which  gave  them  birth. 

From  this  slight  description  it  may  be  understood  how 
difficult  it  is  for  a  neophyte  who  has  just  had  his  inner  eyes 
opened  to  find  his  balance  in  the  World  of  Desire.  The 
trained  clairvoyant  soon  ceases  to  wonder  at  the  impossi- 
ble descriptions  sometimes  brought  through  by  mediums. 
They  may  be  perfectly  honest,  but  the  possibilities 
of  getting  the  parallax  out  of  focus  are  legion,  and  of  the 
subtlest  nature,  and  the  real  wonder  is  that  they  ever  com- 
municate anything  correctly.  All  of  us  had  to  learn  to 
see,  in  the  days  of  our  infancy,  as  we  may  readily  find  by 
watching  a  young  babe.  It  will  be  found  that  the  little 
one  will  reach  for  objects  on  the  other  side  of  the  room 
o-  the  street,  or  for  the  Moon.  He  is  entirely  unable  to 
gauge  distances.  The  blind  man  who  has  been  made  to 
see  will,  at  first,  often  close  his  eyes  to  walk  from  one 
place  to  another,  declaring,  until  he  has  learned  to  use 
his  eyes,  that  it  is  easier  to  walk  by  feeling  than  by  sight. 
So  the  one  whose  inner  organs  of  perception  have  been 
vivified  must  also  be  trained  in  the  use  of  his  newly  ac- 
quired faculty.  At  first  the  neophyte  will  try  to  apply  to 
the  Desire  World  the  knowledge  derived  from  his  experi- 
ence in  the  Physical  World,  because  he  has  not  yet  learnen 
the  laws  of  the  world  into  which  he  is  entering.  This  is 


4:2  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  source  of  a  vast  amount  of  trouble  and  perplexity. 
Before  he  can  understand,  he  must  become  as  a  little  child, 
which  imbibed  knowledge  without  reference  to  any  pre- 
vious experience. 

To  arrive  at  a  correct  understanding  of  the  Desire 
World  it  is  necessary  to  realize  that  it  is  the  world  of  feel- 
ings, desires,  and  emotions.  These  are  all  under  the  domi- 
nation of  two  great  forces — Attraction  and  Eepulsion, 
which  act  in  a  different  way  in  the  three  denser  Regions 
of  the  Desire  World  from  that  in  which  they  act  in  the 
three  finer  or  upper  Regions,  while  the  central  Region 
may  be  called  neutral  ground. 

This  central  Region  is  the  Region  of  feeling.  Here 
interest  in  or  indifference  to  an  object  or  an  idea  sways  the 
balance  in  favor  of  one  of  the  two  previously  mentioned 
forces,  thereby  relegating  the  object  or  idea  to  the  three 
higher  or  the  three  lower  Regions  of  the  Desire  World, 
or  else  they  will  expel  it.  We  shall  see  presently  how 
this  is  accomplished. 

In  the  finest  and  rarest  substance  of  the  three  higher 
Regions  of  the  Desire  World  the  force  of  Attraction  alone 
holds  sway,  but  it  is  also  present  in  some  degree  in  the 
denser  matter  of  the  three  lower  Regions,  where  it  works 
against  the  force  of  Repulsion,  which  is  dominant  there. 
The  disintegrating  force  of  Repulsion  would  soon  destroy 
every  form  coming  into  these  three  lower  Regions  were  it 
not  that  it  is  thus  counteracted.  In  the  densest  or  lowest 
Region,  where  it  is  strongest,  it  tears  and  shatters  the 
forms  built  there  in  a  way  dreadful  to  see,  yet  it  is  not  a 
vandalistic  force.  Nothing  in  nature  is  vandalistic.  All 
that  appears  so  is  but  working  towards  good.  So  with 
this  force  in  its  work  in  the  lowest  Region  of  the  Desire 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  43 

World.  The  forms  here  are  demoniac  creations,  built  by 
the  coarsest  passions  and  desires  of  man  and  beast. 

The  tendency  of  every  form  in  the  Desire  World  is  to 
attract  to  itself  all  it  can  of  a  like  nature  and  grow  thereby. 
If  this  tendency  to  attraction  were  to  predominate  in  the 
lowest  Eegions,  evil  would  grow  like  a  weed.  There  would 
be  anarchy  instead  of  order  in  the  Cosmos.  This  is  pre- 
vented by  the  preponderating  power  of  the  force  of  Ee- 
pulsion  in  this  Region.  When  a  coarse  desire  form  is 
being  attracted  to  another  of  the  same  nature,  there  is 
a  disharmony  in  their  vibrations,  whereby  one  has  a  dis- 
integrating effect  upon  the  other.  Thus,  instead  of  unit- 
ing and  amalgamating  evil  with  evil,  they  act  with  mutual 
destructiveness  and  in  that  way  the  evil  in  the  world  is 
kept  within  reasonable  bounds.  When  we  understand  the 
working  of  the  twin  forces  in  this  respect  we  are  in  a  posi- 
tion to  understand  the  occult  maxim,  "A  lie  is  both  mur- 
der and  suicide  in  the  Desire  World." 

Anything  happening  in  the  Physical  World  is  reflected 
in  all  the  other  realms  of  nature  and,  as  we  have  seen, 
builds  its  appropriate  form  in  the  Desire  World.  When 
a  true  account  of  the  occurrence  is  given,  another  form  is 
built,  exactly  like  the  first.  They  are  then  drawn  together 
and  coalesce,  strengthening  each  other.  If,  however,  an 
untrue  account  is  given,  a  form  different  from  and  antago- 
nistic to  the  first,  or  true  one,  is  created.  As  they  deal  with 
the  same  occurrence,  they  are  drawn  together,  but  as  their 
vibrations  are  different  they  act  upon  each  other  with 
mutual  destructiveness.  Therefore,  evil  and  malicious  lies 
can  kill  anything  that  is  good,  if  they  are  strong  enough 
and  repeated  often  enough.  But,  conversely,  seeking  for 
the  good  in  evil  will,  in  time,  transmute  the  evil  into  good. 
If  the  form  that  is  built  to  minimize  the  evil  is  weak,  it 


44  KOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

will  have  no  effect  and  will  be  destroyed  by  the  evil  form, 
but  if  it  is  strong  and  frequently  repeated  it  will  have  the 
effect  of  disintegrating  the  evil  and  substituting  the  good. 
That  effect,  be  it  distinctly  understood,  is  not  brought  about 
by  lying,  nor  denying  the  evil,  but  by  looking  for  the 
good.  The  occult  scientist  practices  very  rigidly  this 
principle  of  looking  for  good  in  all  things,  because  he 
knows  what  a  power  it  possesses  in  keeping  down  evil. 

There  is  a  story  of  Christ  which  illustrates  this  point. 
Once  when  walking  with  His  disciples  they  passed  the 
decaying  and  ill-smelling  carcass  of  a  dog.  The  disciples 
turned  in  disgust,  commenting  upon  the  nauseating  nature 
of  the  sight;  but  Christ  looked  at  the  dead  body  and  said 
"Pearls  are  not  whiter  than  its  teeth."  He  was  deter- 
mined to  find  the  good,  because  He  knew  the  beneficial 
effect  which  would  result  in  the  Desire  World  from  giving 
it  expression. 

The  lowest  Region  of  the  Desire  World  is  called  "the 
Region  of  Passion  and  Sensual  Desire."  The  second  sub- 
division is  best  described  by  the  name  of  "Region  of  Im- 
pressionability." Here  the  effect  of  the  twin  forces  of 
Attraction  and  Repulsion  is  evenly  balanced.  This  is  a 
neutral  Region,  hence  all  our  impressions  which  are  built 
of  the  matter  of  this  Region  are  neutral.  Only  when  the 
twin  feelings,  which  we  shall  meet  in  the  fourth  Region, 
are  brought  to  bear,  do  the  twin  forces  come  into  play. 
The  mere  impression  of  anything,  however,  in  and  of  itself, 
is  entirely  separate  from  the  feeling  it  engenders.  The 
impression  is  neutral  and  is  an  activity  of  the  second  Re- 
gion of  'the  Desire  World,  where  pictures  are  formed  by 
the  forces  of  sense-perception  in  the  vital  body  of  man. 

In  the  third  Region  of  the  Desire  World,  the  force  of 
Attraction — the  integrating,  upbuilding  force — has  already 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  45 

gained  the  upper  hand  over  the  force  of  Repulsion,  with  its 
destructive  tendency.  When  we  understand  that  the 
mainspring  in  this  force  of  Repulsion  is  self-assertion,  a 
pushing  away  of  all  others  that  it  may  have  room,  we 
shall  understand  that  it  gives  way  most  easily  to  a  desire 
for  other  things,  so  that  the  substance  of  the  third  Region 
of  the  Desire  World  is  principally  dominated  by  the  force 
of  Attraction  towards  other  things,  but  in  a  selfish  way, 
and  therefore  this  is  the  Region  of  Wishes. 

The  Region  of  Coarse  Desires  may  be  likened  to  the 
solids  in  the  Physical  World;  the  Region  of  Impression- 
ability to  the  fluids;  and  the  fluctuating,  evanescent  nature 
of  the  Region  of  Wishes  will  make  that  compare  with  the 
gaseous  portion  of  the  Physical  World.  These  three  Re- 
gions give  the  substance  for  the  forms  which  make  for 
experience,  soul-growth  and  evolution,  purging  the  alto- 
gether destructive  and  retaining  the  materials  which  may 
be  used  for  progress. 

The  fourth  Region  of  the  Desire  World  is  the  "Region 
of  Feeling."  From  it  comes  the  feeling  concerning  the 
already  described  forms  and  upon  the  feeling  engendered 
by  them  depends  the  life  which  they  have  for  us  and  also 
their  effect 'upon  us.  Whether  the  objects  and  ideas  pre- 
sented are  good  or  bad  in  themselves  is  not  important  at 
this  stage.  It  is  our  Feeling,  whether  of  Interest  or  In- 
difference that  is  the  determining  factor  as  to  the  fate  of 
the  object  or  idea. 

If  the  feeling  with  which  we  meet  an  impression  of  an 
object  or  an  idea  is  Interest,  it  has  the  same  effect  upon 
that  impression  as  sunlight  and  air  have  upon  a  plant. 
That  idea  will  grow  and  flourish  in  our  lives.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  we  meet  an  impression  or  idea  with  Indiffer- 
ence, it  withers  as  does  a  plant  when  put  in  a  dark  cellar. 


46  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Thus  from  this  central  Region  of  the  Desire  World 
comes  the  incentive  to  action,  or  the  decision  to  refrain 
therefrom  (though  the  latter  is  also  action  in  the  eyes  of 
the  occult  scientist),  for  at  the  present  stage  of  our  de- 
velopment the  twin  feelings,  Interest  and  Indifference 
furnish  the  incentive  to  action  and  are  the  springs  that 
move  the  world.  At  a  later  stage  these  feelings  will  cease 
to  have  any  weight.  Then  the  determining  factor  will  be 
duty. 

Interest  starts  the  forces  of  Attraction  or  Repulsion. 

Indifference  simply  withers  the  object  or  idea  against 
which  it  is  directed,  so  far  as  our  connection  with  it  is 
concerned. 

If  our  interest  in  an  object  or  an  idea  generates  Re- 
pulsion, that  naturally  causes  us  to  expurgate  from  our 
lives  any  connection  with  the  object  or  idea  which  roused 
it;  but  there  is  a  great  difference  between  the  action  of 
the  force  of  Repulsion  and  the  mere  feeling  of  Indiffer- 
ence. Perhaps  an  illustration  will  make  more  clear  the 
operation  of  the  twin  Feelings  and  the  twin  Forces. 

Three  men  are  walking  along  a  road.  They  see  a  sick 
dog;  it  is  covered  with  sores  and  is  evidently  suffering  in- 
tensely from  pain  and  thirst.  This  much  is  evident  to 
all  three  men — their  senses  tell  them  that.  Now  Feeling 
comes.  Two  of  them  take  an  "interest"  in  the  animal,  but 
in  the  third  there  is  a  feeling  of  "indifference."  He 
passes  on,  leaving  the  dog  to  its  fate.  The  others  remain; 
they  are  both  interested,  but  each  manifests  it  in  a  quite 
different  way.  The  interest  of  one  man  is  sympathetic  and 
helpful,  impelling  him  to  care  for  the  poor  beast,  to  as- 
suage pains  and  nurse  it  back  to  Health.  In  him  the  feel- 
ing of  interest  has  aroused  the  force  of  Attraction.  The 
other  man's  interest  is  of  a  different  kind.  He  sees  only 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  47 

a  loathsome  sight  which  is  revolting  to  him  and  wishes 
to  rid  himself  and  the  world  of  it  as  quickly  as  possible. 
He  advises  killing  the  animal  outright  and  burying  it.  In 
him  the  feeling  of  interest  generates  the  destructive  force 
of  Kepulsion. 

When  the  feeling  of  Interest  arouses  the  force  of  At- 
traction and  it  is  directed  toward  low  objects  and  desires, 
these  work  themselves  out  in  the  lower  Regions  of  the 
Desire  World,  where  the  counteracting  force  of  Repulsion 
operates,  as  previously  described.  From  the  battle  of  the 
twin  forces — Attraction  and  Repulsion — results  all  the 
pain  and  suffering  incident  to  wrongdoing  or  misdirected 
effort,  whether  intentional  or  otherwise. 

Thus  we  may  see  how  very  important  is  the  Feeling  we 
have  concerning  anything,  for  upon  that  depends  the 
nature  of  the  atmosphere  we  create  for  ourselves.  If  we 
love  the  good,  we  shall  keep  and  nourish  as  guardian 
angels  all  that  is  good  about  us;  if  the  reverse,  we  shall 
people  our  path  with  demons  of  our  own  breeding. 

The  names  of  the  three  upper  Regions  of  the  Desire 
World  are  "Region  of  Soul-Life,"  "Region  of  Soul-Light," 
and  "Region  of  Soul-Power."  In  these  abide  Art,  Altru- 
ism, Philanthropy,  and  all  the  activities  of  the  higher 
soul-life.  When  we  think  of  these  Regions  as  radiating 
the  qualities  indicated  by  their  names,  into  the  forms  of 
the  three  lower  Regions,  we  shall  understand  correctly  the 
higher  and  lower  activities.  Soul-power,  however,  may 
for  a  time  be  used  for  evil  purposes  as  well  as  for  good, 
but  eventually  the  force  of  Repulsion  destroys  vice  and 
the  force  of  Attraction  builds  virtue  upon  its  shattered 
ruins.  All  things,  in  the  ultimate,  work  together  for 
GOOD. 

The  Physical  and  the  Desire  Worlds  are  not  separated 


48  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

from  each  other  by  space.  They  are  "closer  than  hands 
and  feet."  It  is  not  necessary  to  move  to  get  from  one 
to  the  other,  nor  from  one  Region  to  the  next.  Just  as 
solids,  liquids,  and  gases  are  all  together  in  our  bodies, 
inter-penetrating  one  another,  so  are  the  different  Regions 
of  the  Desire  World  within  us  also.  We  may  again  com- 
pare the  lines  of  force  along  which  ice-crystals  form  in 
water  to  the  invisible  causes  originating  in  the  Desire 
World,  which  appear  in  the  Physical  World  and  give  us 
the  incentive  to  action,  in  whatever  direction  it  may  be. 

The  Desire  World,  with  its  innumerable  inhabitants, 
permeates  the  Physical  World,  as  the  lines  of  force  do  the 
water — invisible,  but  everywhere  present  and  potent  as  the 
cause  of  everything  in  the  Physical  World. 

THE  WORLD  OF  THOUGHT. 

The  World  of  Thought  also  consists  of  seven  Regions 
of  varying  qualities  and  densities,  and,  like  the  Physical 
World,  the  World  of  Thought  is  divided  into  two  main 
divisions — the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought,  comprising 
the  four  densest  Regions;  and  the  Region  of  Abstract 
Thought,  comprising  the  three  Regions  of  finest  substance. 
This  World  of  Thought  is  the  central  one  of  the  five 
Worlds  from  which  man  obtains  his  vehicles.  Here  spirit 
and  body  meet.  It  is  also  the  highest  of  the  three  Worlds 
in  which  man's  evolution  is  being  carried  forward  at  the 
present  time,  the  two  higher  Worlds  being  practically  in 
abeyance  as  yet,  so  far  as  man  is  concerned. 

We  know  that  the  materials  of  the  Chemical  Region  are 
used  in  building  all  physical  forms.  These  forms  are  given 
life  and  the  power  of  motion  by  the  forces  at  work  in  the 
Etheric  Region,  and  some  of  these  living  forms  are  stirred 
into  activity  by  means  of  the  twin  Feelings  of  the  Desire 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  49 

World.  The  Region  of  Concrete  Thought  furnishes  the 
mind-stuff  in  which  ideas  generated  in  the  Region  of  Ab- 
stract Thought  clothe  themselves  as  thought-forms,  to  act 
as  regulators  and  balance  wheels  upon  the  impulses  en- 
gendered in  the  Desire  World  by  impacts  from  the  phenom- 
enal World. 

Thus  we  see  how  the  three  Worlds,  in  which  man  is  at 
present  evolving,  complement  one  another,  making  a  whole 
that  shows  forth  the  Supreme  Wisdom  of  the  Great  Archi- 
tt-ct  of  the  system  to  which  we  belong,  and  Whom  we  rev- 
erence by  the  holy  name  of  God. 

Taking  a  more  detailed  view  of  the  several  divisions  of 
the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought  we  find  that  the  arche- 
types of  physical  form  no  matter  to  what  kingdom  they 
may  belong,  are  found  in  its  lowest  subdivision,  or  the 
"Continental  Region/'  In  this  Continental  Region  are 
also  the  archetypes  of  the  continents  and  the  isles  of  the 
world,  and  corresponding  to  these  archetypes  are  they 
fashioned.  Modifications  in  the  crust  of  the  Earth  must 
first  be  wrought  in  the  Continental  Region.  Not  until  the 
archetypal  model  has  been  changed  can  the  Intelligences 
which  we  (to  hide  our  ignorance  concerning  them)  call 
the  "Laws  of 'Nature,"  bring  about  the  physical  conditions 
which  alter  the  physical  features  of  the  Earth  according 
to  the  modifications  designed  by  the  Hierarchies  in  charge 
of  evolution.  They  plan  changes  as  an  architect  plans  the 
alteration  of  a  building  before  the  workmen  give  it  con- 
crete expression.  In  like  manner  are  changes  in  the  flora 
and  fauna  due  to  metamorphoses  in  their  respective  arche- 
types. 

When  we  speak  of  the  archetypes  of  all  the  different 
forms  iii  the  dense  world  it  must  not  be  thought  that 
these  archetypes  are  merely  models  in  the  same  sense 


50  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

in  which  we  speak  of  an  object  constructed  in  miniature, 
or  in  some  material  other  than  that  appropriate  for  its 
proper  and  final  use.  They  are  not  merely  likenesses  nor 
models  of  the  forms  we  see  about  us,  but  are  creative  arche- 
types; that  is,  they  fashion  the  forms  of  the  Physical 
World  in  their  own  likeness  or  likenesses,  for  often  many 
work  together  to  form  one  certain  species,  each  archetype 
giving  part  of  itself  to  build  the  required  form. 

The  second  subdivision  of  the  Region  of  Concrete 
Thought  is  called  the  "Oceanic  Region."  It  is  best  de- 
scribed as  flowing,  pulsating  vitality.  All  the  forces  that 
work  through  the  four  ethers  which  constitute  the  Etheric 
Region  are  there  seen  as  archetypes.  It  is  a  stream  of 
flowing  life,  pulsating  through  all  forms,  as  blood  pulsates 
through  the  body,  the  same  life  in  all  forms.  Here  the 
trained  clairvoyant  sees  how  true  it  is  that  "all  life  is  one." 

The  "Aerial  Region"  is  the  third  division  of  the  Re- 
gion of  Concrete  Thought.  Here  we  find  the  archetype  of 
desires,  passions,  wishes,  feelings,  and  emotions  such  as  we 
experience  in  the  Desire  World.  Here  all  the  activities  of 
the  Desire  World  appear  as  atmospheric  conditions.  Like 
the  kiss  of  the  summer  breeze  come  the  feelings  of  pleas- 
ure and  joy  to  the  clairvoyant  sense;  as  the  sighing  of 
the  wind  in  the  tree-tops  seem  the  longings  of  the  soul  and 
like  flashes  of  lighting  the  passions  of  warring  nations. 
In  this  atmosphere  of  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought  are 
also  pictures  of  the  emotions  of  man  and  beast. 

The  "Region  of  Archetypal  Forces"  is  the  fourth  divi- 
sion of  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought.  It  is  the  central 
and  most  important  Region  in  the  five  Worlds  wherein 
man's  entire  evolution  is  carried  on.  On  the  one  side  of 
this  Region  are  the  three  higher  Regions  of  the  World  of 
Thought,  the  World  of  Life  Spirit  and  the  World  of  Divine 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  5] 

Spirit.  On  the  other  side  of  this  Region  of  Archetypal 
Forces  are  the  three  lower  Regions  of  the  World  of 
Thought,  the  Desire  and  the  Physical  Worlds.  Thus  this 
Region  becomes  a  sort  of  "crux,"  bounded  on  one  side  by 
the  Realms  of  Spirit,  on  the  other  by  the  Worlds  of  Form. 
It  is  a  focusing  point,  where  Spirit  reflects  itself  in 
matter. 

As  the  name  implies,  this  Region  is  the  home  of  the 
Archetypal  Forces  which  direct  the  activity  of  the  arche- 
types in  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought.  From  this 
Region  Spirit  works  on  matter  in  a  formative  manner. 
Diagram  1  shows  the  idea  in  a  schematic  way,  the  forms  in 
the  lower  World  being  reflections  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
higher  Worlds.  The  fifth  Region,  which  is  the  one  nearest 
to  the  focusing  point  on  the  Spirit  side,  reflects  itself  in 
the  third  Region,  which  is  nearest  the  focusing  point  on 
the  Form  side.  The  sixth  Region  reflects  itself  in  the 
second  and  the  seventh  reflects  itself  in  the  first. 

The  whole  of  the  Region  of  Abstract  Thought  is  re- 
flected in  the  World  of  Desire ;  the  World  of  Life  Spirit  in 
the  Etheric  Region  of  the  Physical  World;  and  the  World 
of  Divine  Spirit  in  the  Chemical  Region  of  the  Physical 
World. 

Diagram  2  will  give  a  comprehensive  idea  of  the  seven 
Worlds  which  are  the  sphere  of  our  development,  but  we 
must  carefully  keep  in  mind  that  these  Worlds  are  not 
placed  one  above  another,  as  shown  in  the  diagram.  They 
inter-penetrate — that  is  to  say,  that  as  in  the  case  where 
the  relation  of  the  Physical  World  and  the  Desire  World 
were  compared,  where  we  likened  the  Desire  World  to  the 
lines  of  force  in  freezing  water  and  the  water  itself  to  the 
Physical  World,  in  the  same  way  we  may  think  of  the 
lines  of  force  as  being  any  of  the  seven  Worlds,  and  the 


\S> 


in 


**      ^  .  — v 

3°a 


tft- 


Diagrara  1 — The  Relative  Permanency  of  the  Visible  and 

Invisible  Worlds. 
(Illustrated  by  comparison  with  a  stereopticon.) 

5? 


THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  53 

water,  as  in  our  illustration,  would  correspond  to  the  next 
denser  World  in  the  scale.  Another  illustration  may  per- 
haps make  the  subject  clearer. 

Let  us  use  a  spherical  sponge  >  represent  the  dense  earth 
— the  Chemical  Region.  Imagine  that  sand  permeates 
every  part  of  the  sponge  and  also  forms  a  layer  outside  the 
sponge.  Let  the  sand  represent  the  Etheric  Region,  which 
in  a  similar  manner  permeates  the  dense  earth  and  ex- 
tends beyond  its  atmosphere. 

Let  us  further  imagine  this  sponge  and  sand  immersed 
in  a  spherical  glass  vessel  filled  with  clear  water,  and  a 
little  larger  than  the  sponge  and  sand.  We  place  the 
sponge  and  sand  in  the  center  of  the  vessel  as  the  yolk 
is  placed  in  the  center  of  an  egg.  We  have  now  a  space 
of  clear  water  between  the  sand  and  the  vessel.  The  water 
as  a  whole  will  represent  the  Desire  World,  for  just  as  the 
water  percolates  between  the  grains  of  sand,  through  every 
pore  of  the  sponge,  and  forms  that  clear  layer,  so  the 
Desire  World  permeates  both  the  dense  Earth  and  the 
ether  and  extends  beyond  both  of  these  substances. 

We  know  there  is  air  in  water,  and  if  we  think  of  the 
air  in  the  water  (in  our  illustration),  as  representing 
the  World  of  Thought,  we  shall  have  a  fair  mental  picture 
of  the  way  in  which  the  World  of  Thought,  being  finer  and 
more  subtle,  inter-penetrates  the  two  denser  Worlds. 

Finally,  imagine  that  the  vessel  containing  the  sponge, 
sand  and  water  is  placed  in  the  center  of  a  larger  spherical 
vessel  then  the  air  in  the  space  between  the  two  vessels 
would  represent  that  part  of  the  World  of  Thought  which 
extends  beyond  the  Desire  World. 

Each  of  the  planets  in  our  solar  system  has  three  such 
inter-penetrating  Worlds,  and  if  we  think  of  each  of  the 
planets  consisting  of  three  Worlds  as  being  individual 


54 


ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 


DIAGRAM  2. 


WORLD 
OF  GOO 

THE  SEVEN  WORLDS 

Consisting  of/\7  Regions. 
.AiOrK 

WORLD 
OF 
VIRGIN 
SPIRITS 

This  World  consists  of  7   Regions  and   is  the 
abode   of  the   Virgin   Spirits  when   they   have 
been  differentiated  in  God  before  the  pilgrim- 
age through  matter. 

Vehicles 
of  Man 

WORLD  OF 
DIVINE  SPIRIT 

Consists  of  7  Regions  and  is  the  abode  of  the 
highest  spiritual  influence  in  man. 

Divine     ^ 
Spirit 

WORLD  OF 
LIFE  SPIRIT 

Consists  of  7  Regions  and  is  the  abode  of  the 
second  aspect  of  the  threefold  spirit  in  man. 

Life 
Spirit       o 

a 

h 
*     REGION  OF 
3     ABSTRACT 

X  'THOUGHT 

H 

7th  Region  contains  the  germinal  idea  of  form 
in  mineral,  plant,  animal  and  man. 
6th    Region   contains  germinal    idea  of  life   in 
plant,  animal  and  man. 
5th    Region   contains   germinal    idea   of  desire 
and  emotion  in  animal  and  man;  abode  of  3rd 
aspect  of  spirit  in  man. 

u 

r 

Human 
Spirit 

_> 

O 
3    REGION  OF 
oc     CONCRETE 
1     THOUGHT 

4th  Region  contains  the  archetypal  forces  and 
the   human   mind..     It   is   the    focusing    point 
through  which  the  spirit  mirrors  itself  in  mat- 
ter. 
3rd   Region  archetypes  of  desire  and  emotion. 
2nd  Region  archetypes  of  universal   vitality. 
1st  Region  archetypes  of  form. 

^ 

X 

Mind        J 
u 

£ 

DESIRE 
WORLD 

7th  Region  Soul-Power  f 

N 

Desire 
Body 

1 

•z 

0 

5th  Region  Soul-Life.     ) 

f  Interest 
4th  Region  Feeling! 
(indifference. 

3rd  Region  Wishes                               | 
2nd  Region  Impressionability             iRepulsion. 
1st  Region  Passion  and  Low  Desire! 

Q 

-l 

*      ETHERIC 
£      REGION 

_l 

7th  Region  Reflecting  ether,  memory  of  nature. 
6th   Region  Light  ether,  medium  of  sense  per- 
ception. 
5th  Region  Life  ether,  medium  for  propagation. 
4th  Region  Chemical  ether,  medium  for  assimi- 
lation and  excretion. 

i 

u 
a. 
Vital          u 
Body         jc 

^     CHEMICAL 
£      REGION 

z 

Q. 

3rd  Region  Gases. 
2nd  Region  Liquids. 
1st  Region  Solids. 

Dense 
Body 

THE  VISIBLE  AND  INVISIBLE  WORLDS  55 

sponges,  and  of  the  fourth  World,  the  World  of  Life  Spirit, 
as  being  the  water  in  a  large  vessel  where  these  threefold 
separate  sponges  swim,  we  shall  understand  that  as  the 
water  in  the  vessel  fills  the  space  between  the  sponges  and 
percolates  through  them,  so  the  World  of  Life  Spirit  per- 
vades inter-planetary  space  and  inter-penetrates  the  indi- 
vidual planets.  It  forms  a  common  bond  between  them, 
so  that  as  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  boat  and  be  able  to 
control  it,  if  we  wish  to  sail  from  America  to  Africa,  so  it 
is  necessary  to  have  a  vehicle  correlated  to  the  World  of 
Life  Spirit  under  our  conscious  control  in  order  to  be  able 
to  travel  from  one  planet  to  another. 

In  a  manner  similar  to  that  in  which  the  World  of  Life 
Spirit  correlates  us  to  the  other  planets  in  our  own  solar 
system  does  the  World  of  Divine  Spirit  correlate  us  to  the 
other  solar  systems.  We  may  regard  the  solar  systems  as 
separate  sponges,  swimming  in  a  World  of  Divine  Spirit, 
and  thus  it  will  be  apparent  that  in  order  to  travel  from 
one  solar  system  to  another  it  would  be  necessary  to  be 
able  to  function  consciously  in  the  highest  vehicle  of  man, 
the  Divine  Spirit. 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  FOUB  KINGDOMS. 

THE  three  Worlds  of  our  planet  are  at  present  the 
field  of  evolution,  for  a  number  of  different  king- 
doms of  life,  at  various  stages  of  development.  Only 
four  of  these  need  concern  us  at  present,  viz. :  the  mineral, 
plant,  animal,  and  human  kingdoms. 

These  four  kingdoms  are  related  to  the  three  Worlds 
in  different  ways,  according  to  the  progress  these  groups  of 
evolving  life  have  made  in  the  school  of  experience.  So 
far  as  form  is  concerned  the  dense  bodies  of  all  the  king- 
doms are  composed  of  the  same  chemical  substances — 
the  solids,  liquids,  and  gases  of  the  Chemical  Region. 
The  dense  body  of  a  man  is  as  truly  a  chemical  compound 
as  is  the  stone,  although  the  latter  is  ensouled  by  mineral 
life  only.  But  even  when  speaking  from  the  purely  physical 
standpoint,  and  laying  aside  all  other  considerations  for  the 
time  being,  there  are  several  important  differences  when  we 
compare  the  dense  body  of  the  human  being  with  the  min- 
eral of  the  Earth.  Man  moves,  grows,  and  propagates  his 
species — the  mineral,  in  its  native  state,  does  none  of  these 
things. 

Comparing  man  with  the  forms  of  the  plant  kingdom, 
we  find  that  both  plant  and  man  have  a  dense  body,  capa- 
ble of  growth  and  propagation.  But  Man  has  faculties  not 
possessed  by  the  plant.  He  feels,  has  the  power  of  motion, 
and  the  faculty  of  perceiving  things  exterior  to  himself. 

56 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  57 

When  we  compare  man  with  the  animal  we  see  that 
both  have  the  faculties  of  feeling,  motion,  growth,  propa- 
gation, and.  sense-perception.  In  addition,  man  has  the 
faculty  of  speech,  a  superior  structure  of  the  brain,  and 
also  hands — which  are  a  very  great  physical  advantage. 
We  may  note  especially  the  development  of  the  thumb, 
which  makes  the  hand  much  more  valuable  than  even  that 
of  the  anthropoid.  Man  has  also  evolved  a  definite  lan- 
guage in  which  to  express  his  feelings  and  thoughts,  all  of 
which  places  the  dense  body  of  the  human  being  in  a  class 
by  itself,  beyond  the  three  lower  kingdoms. 

To  account  for  these  differences  in  the  four  kingdoms 
we  must  go  to  the  invisible  Worlds,  and  seek  the  causes 
which  give  one  kingdom  that  which  is  denied  to  another. 

To  function  in  any  world,  and  express  the  qualities 
peculiar  to  it,  we  must  first  possess  a  vehicle  made  of  its 
material.  In  order  to  function  in  the  dense  Physical 
World  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  dense  body,  adapted  to  our 
environment.  Otherwise  we  should  be  ghosts,  as  they  are 
commonly  called,  and  be  invisible  to  most  physical  beings. 
So  we  must  have  a  vital  body  before  we  can  express  life, 
grow,  or  externalize  the  other  qualities  peculiar  to  the 
Ethcric  Region. 

To  show  feeling  and  emotion  it  is  necessary  to  have  a 
vehicle  composed  of  the  materials  of  the  Desire  World,  and 
a  mind  formed  of  the  substance  of  the  Region  of  Concrete 
Thought  is  necessary  to  render  thinking  possible. 

When  we  examine  the  four  kingdoms  in  relation  to  the 
Etheric  Region,  we  find  that  the  mineral  does  not  possess 
a  separate  vital  body,  and  at  once  we  see  the  reason  why  it 
cannot  grow,  propagate,  or  show  sentient  life. 

As  an  hypothesis  necessary  to  account  for  other  known 
facts,  material  science  holds  that  in  the  densest  solid,  as  in 


58  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  rarest  and  most  attenuated  gas,  no  two  atoms  touch 
each  other ;  that  there  is  an  envelope  of  ether  around  each 
atom;  that  the  atoms  in  the  universe  float  in  an  ocean  of 
ether. 

The  occult  scientist  knows  this  to  be  true  of  the  Chem- 
ical Region  and  that  the  mineral  does  not  possess  a  separate 
vital  body  of  ether.  And  as  it  is  the  planetary  ether  alone 
which  envelops  the  atoms  of  the  mineral,  that  makes  the 
difference  described.  It  is  necessary,  as  we  have  shown, 
to  have  a  separate,  vital  body,  desire  body,  etc.,  to  express 
the  qualities  of  a  particular  realm,  because  the  atoms  of  the 
World  of  Desire,  of  the  World  of  Thought  and  even  of  the 
Higher  Worlds,  inter-penetrate  the  Mineral  as  well  as  the 
dense  human  body,  and  if  the  inter-penetration  of  the 
planetary  ether,  which  is  the  ether  that  envelops  the  atoms 
of  the  mineral,  were  enough  to  make  it  feel  and  propagate 
its  inter-penetration  by  the  planetary  World  of  Thought 
would  also  be  sufficient  to  make  it  think.  This  it  cannot 
do,  because  it  lacks  a  separate  vehicle.  It  is  penetrated  by 
the  planetary  ether  only,  and  is  therefore  incapable  of  indi- 
vidual growth.  Only  the  lowest  of  the  four  states  of 
ether — the  chemical — is  active  in  the  mineral.  The  chem- 
ical forces  in  minerals  are  due  to  that  fact. 

When  we  consider  plant,  animal,  and  man  in  relation 
to  the  Etheric  Region  we  note  that  each  has  a  separate, 
vital  body,  in  addition  to  being  penetrated  by  the  planetary 
ether  which  forms  the  Etheric  Region.  There  is  a  differ- 
ence, however,  between  the  vital  bodies  of  the  plants  and 
the  vital  bodies  of  animal  and  man.  In  the  vital  body 
of  the  plant  only  the  chemical  and  the  life  ethers  are  fully 
active.  Hence  the  plant  can  grow  by  the  action  of  the 
chemical  ether  and  propagate  its  species  through  the  activ- 
ity of  the  life  ether  of  the  separate,  vital  body  which  it 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  59 

possesses.  The  light  ether  is  present,  but  is  partially  latent 
or  dormant  and  reflecting  ether  is  lacking.  Therefore  it 
is  evident  that  the  faculties  of  sense-perception  and  mem- 
ory, which  are  the  qualities  of  these  ethers,  cannot  be 
expressed  by  the  plant  kingdom.  < 

Turning  our  attention  to  the  vital  body  of  the  animal 
we  find  that  in  it  the  chemical,  life  and  light  ethers  are 
dynamically  active.  Hence  the  animal  has  the  faculties 
of  assimilation  and  growth,  caused  by  the  activities  of 
the  chemical  ether;  and  the  faculty  of  propagation  by 
means  of  the  life  ether — these  being  the  same  as  in  plants. 
But  in  addition,  consequent  upon  the  action  of  the  third 
or  light  ether,  it  has  the  faculties  of  generating  internal 
heat  and  of  sense-perception.  The  fourth  ether,  however, 
is  inactive  in  the  animal,  hence  it  has  no  thought  nor  mem- 
ory. That  which  appears  as  such  will  be  shown  later  to 
be  of  a  different  nature. 

When  we  analyze  the  human  being,  we  find  that  in  him 
all  four  ethers  are  dynamically  active  in  the  highly  organ- 
ized vital  body.  By  means  of  the  activities  of  the  chemical 
ether  he  is  able  to  assimilate  food  and  to  grow ;  the  forces  at 
work  in  the  life  ether  enable  him  to  propagate  his  species ; 
the  forces  in  the  light  ether  supply  the  dense  body  with 
heat,  work  on  the  nervous  system  and  the  muscles,  thus 
opening  the  doors  of  communication  with  the  outside  world 
by  way  of  the  senses;  and  the  reflecting  ether  enables  the 
spirit  to  control  its  vehicle  by  means  of  thought.  This 
ether  also  stores  past  experience  as  memory. 

The  vital  body  of  plant,  animal,  and  man,  extends  be- 
yond the  periphery  of  the  dense  body  as  the  Etheric 
Region,  which  is  the  vital  body  of  a  planet,  extends  beyond 
its  dense  part,  showing  again  the  truth  of  the  Hermetic 
axiom  "As  above,  so  below."  The  distance  of  this  exten- 


60  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

sion  of  the  vital  body  of  man  is  ab'out  an  inch  and  a  half. 
The  part  which  is  outside  the  dense  body  is  very  luminous 
and  about  the  color  of  a  new-blown  peach-blossom.  It  is 
often  seen  by  persons  having  very  slight  involuntary  clair- 
voyance. The  writer  has  found,  when  speaking  with  such 
persons,  that  they  frequently  are  not  aware  they  see  any- 
thing unusual  and  do  not  know  what  they  see. 

The  dense  body  is  built  into  the  matrix  of  this  vital 
body  during  ante-natal  life,  and  with  one  exception,  it  is 
an  exact  copy,  molecule  for  molecule,  of  the  vital  body. 
As  the  lines  of  force  in  freezing  water  are  the  avenues  of 
formation  for  ice  crystals,  so  the  lines  of  force  in  the  vital 
body  determine  the  shape  of  the  dense  body.  All  through 
life  the  vital  body  is  the  builder  and  restorer  of  the  dense 
form.  Were  it  not  for  the  etheric  heart  the  dense  heart 
would  break  quickly  under  the  constant  strain  we  put  upon 
it.  All  the  abuses  to  which  we  subject  the  dense  body  are 
counteracted,  so  far  as  lies  in  its  power,  by  the  vital  body, 
which  is  continually  fighting  against  the  death  of  the 
dense  body. 

The  exception  mentioned  above  is  that  the  vital  body 
of  a  man  is  female  or  negative,  while  that  of  a  woman  is 
male  or  positive.  In  that  fact  we  have  the  key  to  numer- 
ous puzzling  problems  of  life.  That  woman  gives  way  to 
her  emotions  is  due  to  the  polarity  noted,  for  her  positive, 
vital  body  generates  an  excess  of  blood  and  causes  her  to 
labor  under  an  enormous  internal  pressure  that  would 
break  the  physical  casement  were  not  a  safety-valve  pro- 
vided in  the  periodical  flow,  and  another  in  the  tears  which 
relieve  the  pressure  on  special  occasions — for  tears  are 
"white  bleeding." 

Man  may  have  and  has  as  strong  emotions  as  woman, 
but  he  is  usually  able  to  suppress  them  without  tears,  be- 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  61 

cause  his  negative  vital  body  does  not  generate  more  blood 
than  he  can  comfortably  control. 

Unlike  the  higher  vehicles  of  humanity,  the  vital  body 
(except  under  certain  circumstances,  to  be  explained  when 
the  subject  of  "Initiation"  is  dealt  with)  does  not  ordinar- 
ily leave  the  dense  body  until  the  death  of  the  latter.  Then 
the  chemical  forces  of  the  dense  body  are  no  longer  held 
in  check  by  the  evolving  life.  They  proceed  to  restore  the 
matter  to  its  primordial  condition  by  disintegration  so  that 
it  may  be  available  for  the  formation  of  other  forms  in 
the  economy  of  nature.  Disintegration  is  thus  due  to  the 
activity  of  the  planetary  forces  in  the  chemical  ether. 

In  texture  the  vital  body  may  be  crudely  compared  to 
one  of  those  picture  frames  made  of  hundreds  of  little 
pieces  of  wood  which  interlock  and  present  innumerable 
points  to  the  observer.  The  vital  body  presents  millions 
of  points  to  the  observer.  These  points  enter  into  the 
hollow  centers  of  the  dense  atoms,  imbuing  them  with  vital 
force  that  sets  them  vibrating  at  a  rate  higher  than  that  of 
the  mineral  of  the  earth  which  is  not  thus  accelerated  and 
ensouled. 

When  a  person  is  drowning,  or  falling  from  a  height, 
or  freezing,  the  vital  body  leaves  the  dense  body,  the  atoms 
of  which  become  temporarily  inert  in  consequence,  but  at 
resuscitation  it  re-enters  the  dense  body  and  the  "points" 
are  again  inserted  in  the  dense  atoms.  The  inertia  of  the 
atoms  causes  them  to  resist  the  resumption  of  vibration 
and  that  is  the  cause  of  the  intense  prickly  pain  and  the 
tingling  sensation  noted  at  such  times,  but  not  ordinarily, 
for  the  same  reason  that  we  become  conscious  of  the  start- 
ing or  stopping  of  a  clock,  but  are  oblivious  to  its  tick 
when  it  is  running. 

There  are  certain  cases  where  the  vital  body   partly 


62  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

leaves  the  dense  body,  such  as  when  a  hand  "goes  to 
sleep."  Then  the  etherie  hand  of  the  vital  body  may  be 
seen  hanging  below  the  dense  arm  like  a  glove  and  the 
points  cause  the  peculiar  pricking  sensation  felt  when  the 
etherie  hand  re-enters  the  dense  hand.  Sometimes  in 
hypnosis  the  head  of  the  vital  body  divides  and  hangs  out- 
side the  dense  head,  one  half  over  each  shoulder,  or  lies 
around  the  neck  like  the  collar  of  a  sweater.  The  absence 
of  prickly  sensation  at  awakening  in  cases  like  this  is  be- 
cause during  the  hypnosis  part  of  the  hypnotist's  vital 
body  had  been  substituted  for  that  of  the  victim. 

When  anesthetics  are.  used  the  vital  body  is  partially 
driven  out,  along  with  the  higher  vehicles,  and  if  the  appli- 
cation is  too  strong  and  the  life  ether  is  driven  out,  death 
ensues.  This  same  phenomenon  may  also  be  observed  in 
the  case  of  materializing  mediums.  In  fact  the  difference 
between  a  materializing  medium  and  an  ordinary  man 
or  woman  is  just  this:  In  the  ordinary  man  or  woman 
the  vital  body  and  the  dense  body  are,  at  the  present  stage 
of  evolution,  quite  firmly  interlocked,  while  in  the  medium 
they  are  loosely  connected.  It  has  not  always  been  so,  and 
the  time  will  again  come  when  the  vital  body  may  normally 
leave  the  dense  vehicle,  but  that  is  not  normally  accom- 
plished at  present.  When  a  medium  allows  his  or  her  vital 
body  to  be  used  by  entities  from  the  Desire  World  who 
wish  to  materialize,  the  vital  body  generally  oozes  from 
the  left  side — through  the  spleen,  which  is  its  particular 
"gate."  Then  the  vital  forces  cannot  flow  into  the  body 
as  they  do  normally,  the  medium  becomes  greatly  ex- 
hausted, and  some  of  them  resort  to  stimulants  to  counter- 
act the  effects,  in  time  becoming  incurable  drunkards. 

The  vital  force  from  the  sun,  which  surrounds  us  as  a 
colorless  fluid,  is  absorbed  by  the  vital  body  through  the 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  63 

etheric  counterpart  of  the  spleen,  wherein  it  undergoes  a 
curious  transformation  of  color.  It  becomes  pale  rose- 
hued  and  spreads  along  the  nerves  all  over  the  dense  body. 
It  is  to  the  nervous  system  what  the  force  of  electricity  is 
to  a  telegraph  system.  Though  there  be  wires,  instruments, 
and  telegraph  operators  all  in  order,  if  the  electricity  is 
lacking,  no  message  can  be  sent.  The  Ego,  the  brain,  and 
the  nervous  system  may  be  in  seemingly  perfect  order,  but 
if  the  vital  force  be  lacking  to  carry  the  message  of  the 
Ego  through  the  nerves  to  the  muscles,  the  dense  body  will 
remain  inert.  This  is  exactly  what  happens  when  part  of 
the  dense  body  becomes  paralyzed.  The  vital  body  has  be- 
come diseased  and  the  vital  force  can  no  longer  flow.  In 
such  cases,  as  in  most  sickness,  the  trouble  is  with  the 
finer  invisible  vehicles.  In  conscious  or  unconscious  rec- 
ognition of  this  fact,  the  most  successful  physicians  use 
suggestion — which  works  upon  the  higher  vehicles — as  an 
aid  to  medicine.  The  more  a  physician  can  imbue  his 
patient  with  faith  and  hope,  the  speedier  disease  will  van- 
ish and  give  place  to  perfect  health. 

During  health  the  vital  body  specializes  a  superabundance 
of  vital  force,  which,  after  passing  through  a  dense  body, 
radiates  in  straight  lines  in  every  direction  from  the  per- 
iphery thereof,  as  the  radii  of  a  circle  do  from  the  center; 
but  during  ill-health,  when  the  vital  body  becomes  attenu- 
ated, it  is  not  able  to  draw  to  itself  the  same  amount  of 
force  and  in  addition  the  dense  body  is  feeding  upon  it. 
Then  the  lines  of  the  vital  fluid  which  pass  out  from  the 
body  are  crumpled  and  bent,  showing  the  lack  of  force 
behind  them.  In  health  the  great  force  of  these  radiations 
carries  with  it  germs  and  microbes  which  are  inimical  to 
the  health  of  the  dense  body,  but  in  sickness,  when  the  vital 
force  is  weak,  these  emanations  do  not  so  readily  eliminate 


64  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

disease  germs.  Therefore  the  danger  of  contracting  dis- 
ease is  much  greater  when  the  vital  forces  are  low  than 
when  one  is  in  robust  health. 

In  cases  where  parts  of  the  dense  body  are  amputated, 
only  the  planetary  ether  accompanies  the  separated  part. 
The  separate  vital  body  and  the  dense  body  disintegrate 
synchronously  after  death.  So  with  the  etheric  coun- 
terpart of  the  amputated  limb.  It  will  gradually 
disintegrate  as  the  dense  member  decays,  but  in  the 
meantime  the  fact  that  the  man  still  possesses  the  etheric 
limb  accounts  for  his  assertion  that  he  can  feel  his  fin- 
gers or  suffers  pain  in  them.  There  is  also  a  connection 
with  a  buried  member,  irrespective  of  distance.  A 
case  is  on  record  where  a  man  felt  a  severe  pain,  as  if  a 
nail  had  been  driven  into  the  flesh  of  an  amputated  limb, 
and  he  persisted  until  the  limb  was  exhumed,  when  it  was 
found  that  a  nail  had  been  driven  into  it  at  the  time  it  was 
boxed  for  burial.  The  nail  was  removed  and  the  pain 
instantly  stopped.  It  is  also  in  accordance  with  these 
facts  that  people  complain  of  pain  in  a  limb  for  perhaps 
two  or  three  years  after  the  amputation.  The  pain  will 
then  cease.  This  is  because  the  disease  remains  in  the  still 
undetached  etheric  limb,  but  as  the  amputated  part  dis- 
integrates, the  etheric  limb  follows  suit  and  thus  the  pain 
ceases. 

Having  noted  the  relations  of  the  four  kingdoms  to  the 
Etheric  Kegion  of  the  Physical  World,  we  will  next  turn 
our  attention  to  their  relation  to  the  Desire  World. 

Here  we  find  that  both  minerals  and  plants  lack  the 
separate  desire  body.  They  are  permeated  only  by  the 
planetary  desire  body,  the  Desire  Work!.  Lacking  the 
separate  vehicle,  they  are  incapable  of  feeling,  desire,  and 
emotion,  which  are  faculties  pertaining  to  the  Desire 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  65 

World.  When  a  stone  is  broken,  it  does  not  feel;  but  it 
would  be  wrong  to  infer  that  there  is  no  feeling  connected 
with  such  an  action.  That  is  the  materialistic  view,  or  the 
view  taken  by  the  uncomprehending  multitude.  The 
occult  scientist  knows  that  there  is  no  act,  great  or  small, 
which  is  not  felt  throughout  the  universe,  and  even  though 
the  stone,  because  it  has  no  separate  desire  body,  cannot 
feel,  the  Spirit  of  the  Earth  feels  because  it  is  the  Earth's 
desire  body  that  permeates  the  stone.  When  a  man  cuts 
his  finger,  the  finger,  having  no  separate  desire  body,  does 
not  feel  the  pain,  but  the  man  does,  because  it  is  his  desire 
body  which  permeates  the  finger.  If  a  plant  is  torn  up  by 
the  roots,  it  is  felt  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Earth  as  a  man 
would  feel  if  a  hair  were  torn  from  his  head.  This  Earth 
is  a  living,  feeling  body,  and  all  the  forms  which  are  with- 
out separate  desire  bodies  through  which  their  informing 
spirits  may  experience  feeling,  are  included  in  the  desire 
body  of  the  Earth  and  that  desire  body  has  feeling.  The 
breaking  of  a  stone  and  the  breaking  off  of  flowers  are 
productive  of  pleasure  to  the  Earth,  while  the  pulling  out 
of  plants  by  the  root  causes  pain.  The  reason  is  given  in 
the  latter  part  of  this  work,  for  at  this  stage  of  our  study 
the  explanation  would  be  incomprehensible  to  the  general 
reader. 

The  planetary  Desire  World  pulsates  through  the  dense 
and  vital  bodies  of  animal  and  man  in  the  same  way  that 
it  penetrates  the  mineral  and  plant,  but  in  addition  to  this, 
animal  and  man  have  separate  desire  bodies,  which  enable 
them  to  feel  desire,  emotion  and  passion.  There  is  a  differ- 
ence, however.  The  desire  body  of  the  animal  is  built  en- 
tirely of  the  material  of  the  denser  regions  of  the  Desire 
World,  while  in  the  case  of  even  the  lowest  of  human  races 
a  little  of  the  matter  of  the  higher  Kegions  enters  into  the 


66  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

composition  of  the  desire  body.  The  feelings  of  animals 
and  the  lowest  human  races  are  almost  entirely  concerned 
with  the  gratification  of  the  loweBt  desires  and  passions, 
which  find  their  expression  in  the  matter  of  the  lower 
Kegions  of  the  Desire  World.  Hence,  in  order  that  they 
may  have  such  emotions  to  educate  them  for  something 
higher,  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  have  the  corre- 
sponding materials  in  their  desire  bodies.  As  man  pro- 
gresses in  the  school  of  life,  his  experiences  teach  him, 
and  his  desires  become  purer  and  better.  Thus  by  degrees 
the  material  of  his  desire  body  undergoes  a  corresponding 
change.  The  purer  and  brighter  material  of  the  higher 
Regions  of  the  Desire  World  replaces  the  murky  colors 
of  the  lower  part.  The  desire  body  also  grows  in  size,  so 
that  in  a  saint  it  is  truly  a  glorious  object  to  behold,  the 
purity  of  its  colors  and  its  luminous  transparency  being 
beyond  adequate  simile.  It  must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated. 

At  present  the  materials  of  both  the  lower  and  the 
higher  Regions  enter  into  the  composition  of  the  desire 
bodies  of  the  great  majority  of  mankind.  None  are  so 
bad  that  they  have  not  some  good  trait.  This  is  expressed 
in  the  materials  of  the  higher  Regions  which  we  find  in 
their  desire  bodies.  But.,  on  the  other  hand,  very,  very  few 
are  so  good  that  they  do  not  use  some  of  the  materials  of 
the  lower  Regions. 

In  the  same  way  that  the  planetary  vital  and  desire 
bodies  inter-penetrate  the  dense  material  of  the  Earth,  as 
we  saw  in  the  illustration  of  the  sponge,  the  sand  and  the 
water,  so  the  vital  and  desire  bodies  inter-penetrate  the 
dense  body  of  plant,  animal  and  man.  But  during  the 
life  of  man  his  desire  body  is  not  shaped  like  his  dense  and 
vital  bodies.  After  death  it  assumes  that  shape.  During 
life  it  has  the  appearance  of  a  luminous  ovoid  which,  in 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  67 

waking  hours,  completely  surrounds  the  dense  body,  as 
the  albumen  does  the  yolk  of  an  egg.  It  extends  from 
twelve  to  sixteen  inches  beyond  the  dense  body.  In  this 
desire  body  there  are  a  number  of  sense-centers,  but,  in 
the  great  majority  of  people,  they  are  latent.  It  is  the 
awakening  of  these  centers  of  perception  that  corresponds 
to  the  opening  of  the  blind  man's  eyes  in  our  former  illus- 
tration. The  matter  in  the  human  desire  body  is  in  in- 
cessant motion  of  inconceivable  rapidity.  There  is  in  it 
no  settled  place  for  any  particle,  as  in  the  dense  body. 
The  matter  that  is  at  the  head  one  moment  may  be  at  the 
feet  in  the  next  and  back  again.  There  are  no  organs  in  the 
desire  body,  as  in  the  dense  and  vital  bodies,  but  there  are 
centers  of  perception,  which,  when  active,  appear  as  vor- 
tices, always  remaining  in  the  same  relative  position  to,  the 
dense  body,  most  of  them  about  the  head.  In  the  majority 
of  people  they  are  mere  eddies  and  are  of  no  use  as  centers 
of  perception.  They  may  be  awakened  in  all,  however, 
but  different  methods  produce  different  results. 

In  the  involuntary  clairvoyant  developed  along  improper, 
negative  lines,  these  vortices  turn  from  right  to  left,  or 
in  the  opposite  direction  to  the  hands  of  a  clock — counter- 
clockwise. 

In  the  desire  body  of  the  properly  trained  voluntary 
clairvoyant,  they  turn  in  the  same  direction  as  the  hands 
of  a  clock — clockwise,  glowing  with  exceeding  splendor,  far 
surpassing  the  brilliant  luminosity  of  the  ordinary  desire 
body.  These  centers  furnish  him  with  means  for  the  per- 
ception of  things  in  the  Desire  World  and  he  sees,  and  in- 
vestigates as  he  wills,  while  the  person  whose  centers  turn 
counter-clockwise  is  like  a  mirror,  which  reflects  what 
passes  before  it.  Such  a  person  is  incapable  of  reaching 
out  for  information.  The  reason  for  this  belongs  to  a  later 


68  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

chapter,  but  the  above  is  one  of  the  fundamental  differences 
between  a  medium  and  a  properly  trained  clairvoyant. 
It  is  impossible  for  most  people  to  distinguish  between 
the  two ;  yet  there  is  one  infallible  rule  that  can  be  followed 
by  anyone :  No  genuinely  developed  seer  will  ever  exercise 
this  faculty  for  money  or  its  equivalent;  nor  will  he  use  it 
to  gratify  curiosity;  but  only  to  help  humanity. 

No  one  capable  of  teaching  the  proper  method  for  the 
development  of  this  faculty  will  ever  charge  so  much  a 
lesson.  Those  demanding  money  for  the  exercise  of,  or  for 
giving  lessons  in  these  things  never  have  anything  worth 
paying  for.  The  above  rule  is  a  safe  and  sure  guide,  which 
all  may  follow  with  absolute  confidence. 

In  a  far  distant  future  man's  desire  body  will  become  as 
definitely  organized  as  are  the  vital  and  dense  bodies. 
When  that  stage  is  reached  we  shall  all  have  the  power  to 
function  in  the  desire  body  as  we  now  do  in  the  dense 
body,  which  is  the  oldest  and  best  organized  of  these  bodies 
of  man — the  desire  body  being  the  youngest. 

The  desire  body  is  rooted  in  the  liver,  as  the  vital  body 
is  in  the  spleen. 

In  all  warm-blooded  creatures,  which  are  the  highest 
evolved,  and  have  feelings,  passions  and  emotions,  which 
reach  outward  into  the  world  with  desire,  which  may  be 
said  to  really  live  in  the  fuller  meaning  of  the  term  and  not 
merely  vegetate — in  all  such  creatures  the  currents  of  the 
desire  body  flow  outward  from  the  liver.  The  desire  stuff 
is  continually  welling  out  in  streams  or  currents  which 
travel  in  curved  lines  to  every  point  of  the  periphery  of 
the  ovoid  and  then  return  to  the  liver  through  a  number 
of  vortices,  much  as  boiling  water  is  continually  welling 
outward  from  the  source  of  heat  and  returning  to  it  after 
completing  its  cycle. 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  69 

The  plants  are  devoid  of  this  impelling,  energizing 
principle,  hence  they  cannot  show  .life  and  motion  as  can 
the  more  highly  developed  organisms. 

Where  there  is  vitality  and  motion,  but  no  red  blood, 
there  is  no  separate  desire  body.  The  creature  is  simply 
in  the  transition  stage  from  plant  to  animal  and  therefore 
it  moves  entirely  in  the  strength  of  the  group-spirit. 

In  the  cold-blooded,  animals  which  have  a  liver  and  red 
blood,  there  is  a  separate  desire  body  and  the  group-spirit 
directs  the  currents  inward,  because  in  their  case  the  sepa- 
rate spirit  (of  the  individual  fish  or  reptile  for  instance) 
is  entirely  outside  the  dense  vehicle. 

When  the  organism  has  evolved  so  far  that  the  separate 
spirit  can  commence  to  draw  into  its  vehicles  then  it  (the 
individual  spirit)  commences  to  direct  the  currents  out- 
ward, and  we  see  the  beginning  of  passionate  existence  and 
warm  blood.  It  is  the  warm,  red  blood  in  the  liver  of  the 
organism  sufficiently  evolved  to  have  an  indwelling  spirit 
which  energizes  the  outgoing  currents  of  desire  stuff 
that  cause  the  animal  or  the  man  to  display  desire  and 
passion.  In  the  case  of  the  animal  the  spirit  is  not  yet 
entirely  tndwelling.  It  does  not  become  so  until  the  points 
in  the  vital  body  and  the  dense  body  come  into  correspond- 
ence, as  explained  in  Chapter  XII.  For  this  reason  the 
animal  is  not  a  "liver,"  that  is,  he  does  not  live  as  com- 
pletely as  does  man,  not  being  capable  of  as  fine  desires  and 
emotions,  because  not  as  fully  conscious.  The  mammalia  of 
today  are  on  a  higher  plane  than  was  man  at  the  animal 
stage  of  his  evolution,  because  they  have  warm,  red  blood, 
which  man  did  not  have  at  that  stage.  This  difference  in 
status  is  accounted  for  by  the  spiral  path  of  evolution, 
which  also  accounts  for  the  fact  that  man  is  a  higher  type 
of  humanity  than  the  present  Angels  were  in  their  human 


70  ROSTCRTJCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

stage.  The  present  mammalia,  which  have  in  their  animal 
stage  attained  to  the  possession  of  warm,  red  blood,  and  are 
therefore  capable  of  experiencing  desire  and  emotion  to 
some  extent,  will,  in  the  Jupiter  Period,  be  a  purer  and 
better  type  of  humanity  than  we  are  now,  while  from 
among  our  present  humanity  there  will  be  some,  even  in 
the  Jupiter  Period,  who  will  be  openly  and  avowedly 
wicked.  Moreover,  they  will  not  then  be  able  to  conceal 
their  passions  as  is  now  possible,  but  will  be  unabashed 
about  their  evil-doing. 

In  the  light  of  this  exposition  of  the  connection  between 
the  liver  and  the  life  of  the  organism,  it  is  noteworthy 
that  in  several  European  languages  (English,  German, 
and  the  Scandinavian  tongues)  the  same  word  signifies 
the  organ  of  the  body  (the  liver)  and  also  "one  who  lives." 

When  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  four  kingdoms  in 
their  relation  to  the  World  of  Thought  we  find  that  min- 
erals, plants  and  animals  lack  a  vehicle  correlating  them  to 
that  World.  Yet  we  know  some  animals  think,  but  they 
are  the  highest  domesticated  animals  which  have  come 
into  close  touch  with  man  for  generations  and  have  thus 
developed  a  faculty  not  possessed  by  other  animals,  which 
have  not  had  that  advantage.  This  is  on  the  same  princi- 
ple that  a  highly  charged  wire  will  "induce"  a  weaker  cur- 
rent of  electricity  in  a  wire  brought  close  to  it ;  or  that  a 
man  of  strong  morals  will  arouse  a  like  tendency  in  a 
weaker  nature,  while  one  morally  weak  will  be  overthrown 
if  brought  within  the  influence  of  evil  characters.  All  we 
do,  say,  or  are,  reflects  itself  in  our  surroundings.  This  is 
why  the  highest  domestic  animals  think.  They  are  the 
highest  of  their  kind,  almost  on  the  point  of  individualiza- 
tion,  and  man's  thought  vibrations  have  "induced"  in  them 
a  similar  activity  of  a  lower  order.  With  the  exceptions 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  71 

noted,  the  animal  kingdom  has  not  acquired  the  faculty  of 
thought.  They  are  not  individualized.  This  is  the  great 
and  cardinal  difference  between  the  human  and  other  king- 
doms. Man  is  an  individual.  The  animals,  plants  and 
minerals  are  divided  into  species.  They  are  not  individual- 
ized in  the  same  sense  that  man  is. 

It  is  true  that  we  divide  mankind  into  races,  tribes  and 
nations ;  we  note  the  difference  between  the  Caucassian,  the 
Negro,  the  Indian,  etc.;  but  that  is  not  to  the  point.  If 
we  wish  to  study  the  characteristics  of  the  lion  or  the 
elephant  or  any  other  species  of  the  lower  animals,  all  that 
is  necessary  is  to  take  any  member  of  that  species  for  that 
purpose.  When  we  learn  the  characteristics  of  one  animal, 
we  know  the  characteristics  of  the  species  to  which  it  be- 
longs. All  members  of  the  same  animal  tribe  are  alike. 
That  is  the  point.  A  lion,  or  its  father,  or  its  son,  all 
look  alike;  there  is  no  difference  in  the  way  they  will  act 
under  like  conditions.  All  have  the  same  likes  and  dis- 
likes; one  is  the  same  as  another. 

Not.  so  with  human  beings.  If  we  want  to  know  about 
the  characteristics  of  Negroes,  it  is  not  enough  that  we 
examine  one  single  individual.  It  would  be  necessary  to 
examine  each  individually,  and  even  then  we  will  arrive  at 
no  knowledge  concerning  Negroes  "as  a  whole/'  simply 
because  that  which  was  a  characteristic  of  the  single  indi- 
vidual does  not  apply  to  the  race  collectively. 

If  we  desire  to  know  the  character  of  Abraham  Lin- 
coln it  will  avail  us  nothing  to  study  his  father,  his  grand- 
father, or  his  son,  for  they  would  differ  entirely.  Each 
would  have  his  own  peculiarities  quite  distinct  from  the 
idiosyncracies  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

On  the  other  hand,  minerals,  plants,  and  animals  are 
described  if  we  devote  our  attention  to  the  description  of 


72  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

one  of  each  species ;  while  there  are  as  many  species  among 
human  beings  as  there  are  individuals.  Each  individual 
person  is  a  "species,"  a  law  unto  himself,  altogether  sepa- 
rate and  apart  from  any  other  individual,  as  different  from 
his  fellow-men  as  one  species  in  the  lower  kingdom  is  from 
another.  We  may  write  the  biography  of  a  man,  but  an 
animal  can  have  no  biography.  This  is  because  there  is  in 
each  man  an  individual,  indwelling  spirit  which  dictates 
the  thoughts  and  actions  of  each  individual  human  being; 
while  there  is  one  "group-spirit"  common  to  all  the  differ- 
ent animals  or  plants  of  the  same  species.  The  group- 
spirit  works  on  them  all  from  the  outside.  The  tiger 
which  roams  in  the  wilds  of  the  Indian  jungle  and  the 
tiger  penned  up  in  the  cage  of  a  menagerie  are  both  ex- 
pressions of  the  same  group-spirit.  It  influences  both 
alike  from  the  Desire  World,  distance  being  almost  anni- 
hilated in  the  inner  Worlds. 

The  group-spirits  of  the  three  lower  kingdoms  are  vari- 
ously located  in  the  higher  Worlds,  as  we  shall  see  when 
we  investigate  the  consciousness  of  the  different  kingdoms ; 
but  to  properly  comprehend  the  positions  of  these  group- 
spirits  in  the  inner  Worlds  it  is  necessary  to  remember 
and  to  clearly  understand  what  has  been  said  about  all  the 
forms  that  are  in  the  visible  world  having  crystallized  from 
models  and  ideas  in  the  inner  Worlds,  as  illustrated  by  the 
architect's  house  and  the  inventor's  machine.  As  the  juices 
of  the  soft  body  of  the  snail  crystallize  into  the  hard  shell 
which  it  carries  upon  its  back,  so  the  Spirits  in  the  higher 
Worlds  have,  in  a  similar  manner,  crystallized  out  from 
themselves  the  dense,  material  bodies  of  the  different 
kingdoms. 

Thus  the  so-called  "higher"  bodies,  although  so  fine  and 
cloudy  as  to  be  invisible,  are  not  by  any  means  "emana- 


THE  FOUE  KINGDOMS 


73 


tions"  from  the  dense  body,  but  the  dense  vehicles  of  all 
kingdoms  correspond  to  the  shell  of  the  snail,  which  is 
crystallized  from  its  juices,  the  snail  representing  the 
spirit;  and  the  juices  of  its  body  in  their  progress  towards 
crystallization  representing  the  mind,  desire  body  and  vital 
body.  These  various  vehicles  were  emanated  by  the  spirit 
from  itself  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  experience  through 
them.  It  is  the  spirit  that  moves  the  dense  body  where 
it  will,  as  the  snail  moves  its  house,  and  not  the  body  that 
controls  the  movements  of  the  spirit.  The  more  closely  the 
spirit  is  able  to  enter  into  touch  with  its  vehicle  the  better 
can  it  control  and  express  itself  through  that  vehicle,  and 
vice  versa.  That  is  the  key  to  the  different  states  of  con- 
sciousness in  the  different  kingdoms.  A  study  of  diagrams 
3  and  4  should  give  a  clear  understanding  of  the  vehicles 
of  each  kingdom,  the  manner  in  which  they  are  correlated 

DIAGRAM    3 

Showing  the  vehicles  of  each  kingdom,  and  the  manner  in  which 
such  vehicles  are  correlated  to  the  different  worlds. 


WORLD 

KINGDOM 

Mineral 

Plant 

Animal 

Man 

Region  of 
Abstract  Thought  .... 
and 
Region  of 
Concrete  Thought  

Group-spiiit 
and  Ego 

No  vehicle 

Group-spirit 
and  Ego 

No  vehicle 

Group-spirit 
and  Ego 

No  vehicle 

Ego 
Mind 

Desire  World  

No  vehicle 

No  vehicle 

Desire  body 

Desire  body 

Physical  World: 
includes  the 
Etheric  Region  

No  vehicle 
Dense  body 

Vital  body 
Dense  body 

Vital  body 
Dense  body 

Vital  body 
Dense  body 

and  the 
Chemical  Region  

EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 


DIAGRAM    4 

Showing  the  state  of  consciousness  appertaining  to  each  kingdom. 


WORLD 

KINGDOM 

State  of 
Conscious- 
ness 

Mineral 

Plant 

Animal 

Man 

Region  of 
Abstract  Thought  

Group- 
spirit 
and 
Ego 

Grou  p- 
spint 
and 
Ego 

Trance- 
like 

Dreamless 
Sleep 

and 
Region  of 
Concrete  Thought  

Desire  World  

Group- 
spirit 
and 
Ego 

Dream 
Conscious- 
ness 

Physical  World; 
includes  the 
Etheric  Region  

Dense 
body 

Vital 
body 
Dense 
body 

Desire 
body 
Vital 
body 
Dense 
body 

Ego 
Mind 
Desire 
body 
Vital 
body 
Dense 
body 

Waking 
Conscious- 
ness 

and  the 

to  the  different  Worlds  and  the  resulting  state  of  con- 
sciousness. 

From  diagram  3  we  learn  that  the  separate  Ego  is 
definitely  segregated  within  the  Universal  Spirit  in  the 
Region  of  Abstract  Thought.  It  shows  that  only  man 
possesses  the  complete  chain  of  vehicles  correlating  him 
to  all  divisions  of  the  three  Worlds.  The  animal  lacks  one 
link  of  chain — the  mind;  the  plant  lacks  two  links,  the 
mind  and  the  desire  body;  and  the  mineral  lacks  three 
links  in  the  chain  of  vehicles  necessary  to  function  in  a 
self-conscious  manner  in  the  Physical  World — the  mind, 
the  desire  and  the  vital  bodies. 

The  reason  for  the  various  deficiencies  is  that  the  Min- 
eral Kingdom  is  the  expression  of  the  latest  stream  of 
evolving  life;  the  Plant  Kingdom  is  ensouled  by  a  life  wave 
that  has  been  longer  upon  the  path  of  evolution;  the  life 


THE  FOUR   KINGDOMS  75 

wave  of  the  animal  Kingdom  has  a  still  longer  past;  while 
Man,  that  is  to  say,  the  life  now  expressing  itself  in  the 
human  form,  has  behind  it  the  longest  journey  of  all  the 
four  kingdoms,  and  therefore  leads.  In  time,  the  three 
life-waves  which  now  animate  the  three  lower  kingdoms 
will  reach  the  human,  and  we  shall  have  passed  to  higher 
stages  of  development. 

To  understand  the  degree  of  consciousness  which  results 
from  the  possession  of  the  vehicles  used  by  the  life  evolving 
in  the  four  kingdoms,  we  turn  our  attention  to  diagram  4, 
which  shows  that  man,  the  Ego,  the  Thinker,  has  de- 
scended into  the  Chemical  Region  of  the  Physical  World. 
Here  he  has  marshaled  all  his  vehicles,  thereby  attaining 
the  state  of  waking  consciousness.  He  is  learning  to  con- 
trol his  vehicles.  The  organs  of  neither  the  desire  body 
nor  the  mind  are  yet  evolved.  The  latter  is  not  yet  even 
a  body.  At  present  it  is  simply  a  link,  a  sheath  for  the 
use  of  the  Ego  as  a  focusing  point.  It  is  the  last  of  the 
tehicles  that  have  been  built.  The  spirit  works  gradually 
from  finer  into  coarser  substance,  the  vehicles  also  being 
built  in  fine  substance  first,  then  in  coarser  and  coarser 
substance.  The  dense  body  was  built  first  and  has  now 
come  into  its  fourth  stage  of  density;  the  vital  body  is 
in  its  third  stage  and  the  desire  body  in  its  second,  hence  it 
is  still  cloud-like,  and  the  sheath  of  mind  is  filmier  still. 
As  those  vehicles  have  not,  as  yet,  evolved  any  organs,  it  is 
clear  that  they  alone  would  be  useless  as  vehicles  of  con- 
sciousness. The  Ego,  however,  enters  into  the  dense  body 
and  connects  these  organless  vehicles  with  the  physical 
sense-centers  and  thus  attains  the  waking  state  of  con- 
sciousness in  the  Physical  World. 

The  student  should  particularly  note  that  it  is  because 
of  their  connection  with  the  splendidly  organized  mechan- 


76  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

ism  of  the  dense  body  that  these  higher  vehicles  become  of 
value  at  present.  He  will  thus  avoid  a  mistake  frequently 
made  by  people  who,  when  they  come  into  the  knowledge 
that  there  are  higher  bodies,  grow  to  despise  the  dense 
vehicle;  to  speak  of  it  as  "low"  and  "vile" — turning  their 
eyes  to  heaven  and  wishing  that  they  might  soon  be  able 
to  leave  this  earthly  lump  of  clay  and  fly  about  in  their 
"higher  vehicles." 

These  people  generally  do  not  realize  the  difference  be- 
tween "higher"  and  "perfect."  Certainly,  the  dense  body 
is  the  lowest  vehicle  in  the  sense  that  it  is  the  most  un- 
wieldy, correlating  man  to  the  world  of  sense  with  all  the 
limitations  thus  implied.  As  stated,  it  has  an  enormous 
period  of  evolution  back  of  it;  is  in  its  fourth  stage  of 
development  and  has  now  reached  a  great  and  marvelous 
degree  of  efficiency.  It  will,  in  time,  reach  perfection, 
but  even  at  present  it  is  the  best  organized  of  man's  vehi- 
cles. The  vital  body  is  in  its  third  stage  of  evolution,  and 
less  completely  organized  than  the  dense  body.  The  desire 
body  and  the  mind  are,  as  yet,  mere  clouds — almost  en- 
tirely unorganized.  In  the  very  lowest  human  beings 
these  vehicles  are  not  even  definite  ovoids;  they  are  more 
or  less  undefined  in  form. 

The  dense  body  is  a  wonderfully  constructed  instrument 
and  should  be  recognized  as  such  by  everyone  pretending 
to  have  any  knowledge  of  the  constitution  of  man.  Observe 
the  femur,  for  instance.  This  bone  carries  the  entire 
weight  of  the  body.  On  the  outside  it  is  built  of  a  thin 
layer  of  compact  bone,  strengthened  on  the  inside  by  beams 
and  cross-beams  of  cancellated  bone,  in  such  a  marvelous 
manner  that  the  most  skilled  bridge  or  construction  en- 
gineer could  never  accomplish  the  feat  of  building  a  pillar 
of  equal  strength  with  so  little  weight.  The  bones  of  the 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  77 

skull  are  built  in  a  similar  manner,  always  the  least  possible 
material  is  used  and  the  maximum  of  strength  obtained. 
Consider  the  wisdom  manifested  in  the  construction  of  the 
heart  and  then  question  if  this  superb  mechanism  deserves 
to  be  despised.  The  wise  man  is  grateful  for  his  dense 
body  and  takes  the  best  possible  care  of  it,  because  he  knows 
that  it  is  the  most  valuable  of  his  present  instruments. 

The  animal  spirit  has  in  its  descent  reached  only  the 
Desire  World.  It. has  not  yet  evolved  to  the  point  where 
it  can  "enter"  a  dense  body.  Therefore  the  animal  has  no 
individual  indwelling  spirit,  but  a  group-spirit,  which 
directs  it  from  without.  The  animal  has  the  dense  body, 
the  vital  body  and  the  desire  body,  but  the  group-spirit 
which  directs  it  is  outside.  The  vital  body  and  the  desire 
body  of  an  animal  are  not  entirely  within  the  dense  body, 
especially  where  the  head  is  concerned.  For  instance,  the 
etheric  head  of  a  horse  projects  far  beyond  and  above  the 
dense  physical  head.  When,  as  in  rare  cases  it  happens, 
the  etheric  head  of  a  horse  draws  into  the  head  of  the 
dense  body,  that  horse  can  learn  to  read,  count  and  work 
examples  in  elementary  arithmetic.  To  this  peculiarity  is 
also  due  the  fact  that  horses,  dogs,  cats  and  other  domesti- 
cated animals  sense  the  Desire  World,  though  not  always 
realizing  the  difference  between  it  and  the  Physical  World. 
A  horse  will  shy  at  the  sight  of  a  figure  invisible  to  the 
driver ;  a  cat  will  go  through  the  motions  of  rubbing  itself 
against  invisible  legs.  The  cat  sees  the  ghost,  however, 
\vithout  realizing  that  it  has  no  dense  legs  available  for 
frictional  purposes.  The  dog,  wiser  than  cat  or  horse,  will 
often  sense  that  there  is  something  he  does  not  under- 
stand about  the  appearance  of  a  dead  master  whose  hands  it 
cannot  lick.  It  will  howl  mournfully  and  slink  into  a 
corner  with  its  tail  between  its  legs.  The  following  illus- 


78  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

tration  may  perhaps  be  of  service  to  show  the  difference 
between  the  man  with  his  indwelling  spirit  and  the  animal 
with  its  group-spirit. 

Let  us  imagine  a  room  divided  by  means  of  a  curtain, 
one  side  of  the  curtain  representing  the  Desire  World  and 
the  other  the  Physical.  There  are  two  men  in  the  room, 
one  in  each  division;  they  cannot  see  each  other,  nor  can 
they  get  into  the  same  division.  There  are,  however,  ten 
holes  in  the  curtain  and  the  man  who  is  in  the  division 
representing  the  Desire  World  can  put  his  ten  fingers 
through  these  holes  into  the  other  division,  representing 
the  Physical  World.  He  now  furnishes  an  excellent  rep- 
resentation of  the  group-spirit  which  is  in  the  Desire 
World.  The  fingers  represent  the  animals  belonging  to 
one  species.  He  is  able  to  move  them  as  he  wills,  but  he 
cannot  use  them  as  freely  nor  as  intelligently  as  the  man 
who  is  walking  about  in  the  Physical  division  uses  his  body. 
The  latter  sees  the  fingers  which  are  thrust  through  the 
curtain  and  he  observes  that  they  all  move,  but  he  does 
not  see  the  connection  between  them.  To  him  it  appears 
as  if  they  were  all  separate  and  distinct  from  one  another. 
He  cannot  see  that  they  are  the  fingers  of  the  man  behind 
the  veil  and  are  governed  in  their  movements  by  his  in- 
telligence. If  he  hurts  one  of  the  fingers,  it  is  not  only 
the  finger  that  he  hurts,  but  chiefly  the  man  on  the  other 
side  of  the  curtain.  If  an  animal  is  hurt,  it  suffers,  but  not 
to  the  degree  that  the  group-spirit  does.  The  finger 
has  no  individualized  consciousness;  it  moves  as  the  man 
dictates — so  do  the  animals  move  as  the  group-spirit  dic- 
tates. We  hear  of  "animal  instinct"  and  "blind  instinct.'* 
There  is  no  such  vague,  indefinite  thing  as  "blind"  in- 
stinct. There  is  nothing  "blind"  about  the  way  the  group- 
spirit  guides  its  members — there  is  Wisdom,  spelled  with 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  79 

capitals.  The  trained  clairvoyant,  when  functioning  in  the 
Desire  World,  can  communicate  with  these  spirits  of  the 
animal  species  and  finds  them  much  more  intelligent  than 
a  large  percentage  of  human  beings.  He  can  see  the  mar- 
velous insight  they  display  in  marshaling  the  animals 
which  are  their  physical  bodies. 

It  is  the  spirit  of  the  group  which  gathers  its  flocks  of 
birds  in  the  fall  and  compels  them  to  migrate  to  the  south, 
neither  too  early  nor  too  late  to  escape  the  winter's  chilly 
blast ;  that  directs  their  return  in  the  spring,  causing  them 
to  fly  at  just  the  proper  altitude,  which  differs  for  the 
different  species. 

The  group-spirit  of  the  beaver  teaches  it  to  build  its 
dam  across  a  stream  at  exactly  the  proper  angle.  It  con- 
siders the  rapidity  of  the  flow,  and  all  the  circumstances, 
precisely  as  a  skilled  engineer  would  do,  showing  that  it  is 
as  up-to-date  in  every  particular  of  the  craft  as  the  col- 
lege-bred, technically-educated  man.  It  is  the  wisdom  of 
the  group-spirit  that  directs  the  building  of  the  hexagon 
cell  of  the  bee  with  such  geometrical  nicety;  that  teaches 
the  snail  to  fashion  its  house  in  an  accurate,  beautiful 
spiral;  that  teaches  the  ocean  mollusk  the  art  of  decorat- 
ing its  iridescent  shell.  Wisdom,  wisdom  everywhere!  so 
grand,  so  great  that  one  who  looks  with  an  observant  eye 
is  filled  with  amazement  and  reverence. 

At  this  point  the  thought  will  naturally  occur  that  if  the 
animal  group-spirit  is  so  wise,  considering  the  short  period 
of  evolution  of  the  animal  as  compared  with  that  of  man, 
why  does  not  the  latter  display  wisdom  to  a  much  greater 
degree  and  why  must  man  be  taught  to  build  dams  and 
geometrize,  all  of  which  the  group-spirit  does  without 
being  taught? 

The  answer  to  that  question  has  to  do  with  the  descent  of 


80  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  Universal  Spirit  into  matter  of  ever-increasing  density. 
In  the  higher  Worlds,  where  its  vehicles  are  fewer  and 
finer,  it  is  in  closer  touch  with  cosmic  wisdom  which  shines' 
out  in  a  manner  inconceivable  in  the  dense  Physical 
World,  but  as  the  spirit  descends,  the  light  of  wisdom 
becomes  temporarily  more  and  more  dimmed,  until  in  the 
densest  of  all  the  Worlds,  it  is  held  almost  entirely  in 
abeyance. 

An  illustration  will  make  this  clearer.  The  hand  is 
man's  most  valuable  servant;  its  dexterity  enables  it  to 
respond  to  his  slightest  bidding.  In  some  vocations,  such 
as  bank  teller,  the  delicate  touch  of  the  hand  becomes  so 
sensitive,  that  it  is  able  to  distinguish  a  counterfeit  coin 
from  a  genuine  in  a  way  so  marvelous  that  one  would 
almost  think  the  hand  were  endowed  with  individual  in- 
telligence. 

Its  greatest  efficiency  is  perhaps  reached  in  the  produc- 
tion of  music.  It  is  capable  of  producing  the  most  beauti- 
ful, soul-stirring  melodies.  The  delicate,  caressing  touch 
of  the  hand  elicits  the  tenderest  strains  of  soul-speech  from 
the  instrument,  telling  of  the  sorrows,  the  joys,  the  hopes, 
the  fears  and  the  longings  of  the  soul  in  a  way  that  noth- 
ing but  music  can  do.  It  is  the  language  of  the  heaven 
world,  the  spirit's  true  home,  and  comes  to  the  divine 
spark  imprisoned  in  flesh  as  a  message  from  its  native  land. 
Music  appeals  to  all,  regardless  of  race,  creed,  or  other 
worldly  distinction.  The  higher  and  more  spiritual  the 
individual  the  plainer  does  it  speak  to  him  and  even  "the 
savage  breast"  is  not  unmoved  by  it. 

Let  us  now  imagine  a  master-musician  putting  on  thin 
gloves  and  trying  to  play  his  violin.  We  note  at  once  that 
the  delicate  touch  is  less  subtle;  the  soul  of  the  music  is 
gone.  If  he  puts  another  and  a  heavier  pair  of  gloves  over 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  81 

the  first  pair,  his  hand  is  hampered  to  such  an  extent  that 
he  may  occasionally  create  a  discord  instead  of  the  former 
harmony.  Should  he  at  last  put  on,  in  addition  to  the 
two  pairs  of  gloves  already  hampering  him,  a  pair  of  still 
heavier  mittens,  he  would,  temporarily,  be  entirely  unable 
to  play,  and  one  who  had  not  heard  him  play  previously  to 
the  time  he  put  on  the  gloves  and  the  mittens,  would 
naturally  think  that  he  had  never  been  able  to  do  so,  espe- 
cially if  ignorant  of  the  hampering  of  his  hands. 

So  it  is  with  the  Spirit;  every  step  down,  every  de- 
scent into  coarser  matter  is  to  it  what  the  putting  on  of  a 
pair  of  gloves  would  be  to  the  musician.  Every  step  down 
limits  its  power  of  expression  until  it  has  become  accus- 
tomed to  the  limitations  and  has  found  its  focus,  in  the 
same  way  that  the  eye  must  find  its  focus  after  we  enter  a 
house  on  a  bright  summer  day.  The  pupil  of  the  eye  con- 
tracts to  its  limit  in  the  glare  of  the  sun  and  on  entering 
the  house  all  seems  dark;  but,  as  the  pupil  expands,  and 
admits  the  light,  the  man  is  enabled  to  see  as  well  in  the 
dimmer  light  of  the  house  as  he  did  in  the  sunlight. 

The  purpose  of  man's  evolution  here  is  to  enable  him 
to  find  his  focus  in  the  Physical  World,  where  at  present 
the  light  of  wisdom  seems  obscured.  But  when  in  time  we 
have  "found  the  light,"  the  wisdom  of  man  will  shine  forth 
in  his  actions,  and  far  surpass  the  wisdom  expressed  by 
the  group-spirit  of  the  animal. 

Besides,  a  distinction  must  be  made  between  the  group- 
spirit  and  the  virgin  spirits  of  the  life  wave  now  expres&- 
ing  itself  as  animals.  The  group-spirit  belongs  to  a  dif- 
ferent evolution,  and  is  the  guardian  of  the  animal  spirits. 

The  dense  body  in  which  we  function  is  composed  of 
numerous  cells,  each  having  separate  cell-consciousness, 
though  of  a  very  low  order.  While  these  cells  form  part  of 


82  KOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPT  10 X 

our  body  they  are  subjected  to  and  dominated  by  our 
consciousness.  An  animal  group-spirit  functions  in  a  spirit- 
ual body,  which  is  its  lowest  vehicle.  This  vehicle  consists 
of  a  varying  number  of  virgin  spirits  imbued  for  the  time 
being  with  the  consciousness  of  the  group-spirit.  The 
latter  directs  the  vehicles  built  by  the  virgin  spirits  in  its 
charge,  caring  for  them  and  helping  them  to  evolve  their 
vehicles.  As  its  wards  evolve,  the  group-spirit  also  evolves, 
undergoing  a  series  of  metamorphoses,  in  a  manner  similar 
to  that  in  which  we  grow  and  gain  experience  by  taking 
into  our  bodies  the  cells  of  the  food  we  eat,  thereby  also 
raising  their  consciousness  by  enduing  them  with  ours  for 
a  time. 

Thus  while  a  separate,  self-conscious  Ego  is  within  each 
human  body  and  dominates  the  actions  of  its  particular 
vehicle,  the  spirit  of  the  separate  animal  is  not  yet  individ- 
ualized and  self-conscious,  but  forms  part  of  the  vehicle  of 
a  self-conscious  entity  belonging  to  a  different  evolution — 
the  group-spirit. 

This  group-spirit  dominates  the  actions  of  the  animals 
in  harmony  with  cosmic  law,  until  the  virgin  spirits  in  its 
charge  shall  have  gained  self-consciousness  and  become 
human.  Then  they  will  gradually  manifest  wills  of  their 
own,  gaining  more  and  more  freedom  from  the  group-spirit 
and  becoming  responsible  for  their  own  actions.  The  group- 
spirit  will  influence  them,  however  (although  in  a  de- 
creasing degree),  as  race,  tribe,  community,  or  family 
spirit  until  each  individual  has  become  capable  of  acting 
in  full  harmony  with  cosmic  law.  Not  until  that  time  will 
the  Ego  be  entirely  free  and  independent  of  the  group- 
spirit,  which  will  then  enter  a  higher  phase  of  evolu- 
tion. 

The  position  occupied  by  the  group-spirit  in  the  Desire 


THE  FOUR  KINGDOMS  83 

World  gives  to  the  animal  a  consciousness  different  from 
that  of  man,  who  has  a  clear,  definite  waking  conscious- 
ness. Man  sees  things  outside  of  himself  in  sharp,  dis- 
tinct outlines.  Owing  to  the  spiral  path  of  evolution,  the 
higher  domestic  animals,  particularly  the  dog,  horse,  cat 
and  elephant  see  objects  in  somewhat  the  same  way,  though 
perhaps  not  so  clearly  defined.  All  other  animals  have 
an  internal  "picture  consciousness"  similar  to  the  dream- 
state  in  man.  When  such  an  animal  is  confronted  by  an 
object,  a  picture  is  immediately  perceived  within,  accom- 
panied by  a  strong  impression  that  the  object  is  inimical 
or  beneficial  to  its  welfare.  If  the  feeling  is  one  of  fear, 
it  is  associated  with  a  suggestion  from  the  group-spirit  how 
to  escape  the  threatened  danger.  This  negative  state  of 
consciousness  renders  it  easy  for  the  group-spirit  to  guide 
the  dense  bodies  of  its  charges  by  suggestion,  as  the  animals 
have  no  will  of  their  own. 

Man  is  not  so  easily  managed  from  without,  either  with 
or  without  his  consent.  As  evolution  progresses  and  man's 
will  develops  more  and  more,  he  will  become  non-amenable 
to  outside  suggestion  and  free  to  do  as  he  pleases  regard- 
less of  suggestions  from  others.  This  is  the  chief  difference 
between  man  and  the  other  kingdoms.  They  act  accord- 
ing to  law  and  the  dictates  of  the  group-spirit  (which  we 
call  instinct),  while  man  is  becoming  more  and  more  a 
law  unto  himself.  We  do  not  ask  the  mineral  whether 
or  not  it  will  crystallize,  nor  the  flower  whether  it  will  or 
will  not  bloom,  nor  the  lion  whether  it  will  or  will  not 
cease  to  prey.  They  are  all,  in  the  smallest  as  in  the  great- 
est matter,  under  the  absolute  domination  of  the  group-' 
spirit,  being  without  free  will  and  initiative  which,  in 
some  degree,  are  possessed  by  every  human  being.  All 
animals  of  the  same  species  look  nearly  alike,  because  they 


84  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

emanate  from  the  same  group-spirit,  while  among  the  fif- 
teen hundred  millions  of  human  beings  who  people  the 
Earth  no  two  look  exactly  alike,  not  even  twins  when  ado- 
lescent, because  the  stamp  that  is  put  upon  each  by  the 
indwelling  individual  Ego  makes  the  difference  in  appear- 
ance as  well  as  in  character. 

That  all  oxen  thrive  on  grass,  and  all  lions  eat  flesh, 
while  "one  man's  meat  is  another  man's  poison"  is  an- 
other illustration  of  the  all-inclusive  influence  of  the 
group-spirit  as  contrasted  with  the  Ego  which  makes  each 
human  being  require  a  different  proportion  of  food  from 
every  other.  Doctors  note  with  perplexity  the  same  pecu- 
liarity in  administering  medicine.  Its  acts  differently 
upon  different  individuals,  while  the  same  medicine  will 
produce  identical  effects  on  two  animals  of  the  same  spe- 
cies, owing  to  the  fact  that  animals  all  follow  the  dictates 
of  the  group-spirit  and  Cosmic  Law — always  act  similarly 
in  identical  circumstances.  Man  alone  is,  in  some  measure, 
able  to  follow  his  own  desires  within  certain  limits.  That 
his  mistakes  are  many  and  grievous,  is  granted,  and  to 
many  it  might  seem  better  if  he  were  forced  into  the  right 
way,  but  if  this  were  done,  he  would  never  learn  to  do 
right.  Lessons  of  discrimination  between  good  and  evil 
cannot  be  learned  unless  he  is  free  to  choose  his  own  course 
and  has  learned  to  eschew  the  wrong  as  a  veritable  "womb 
of  pain."  If  he  did  right  only  because  he  had  no  choice, 
and  had  no  chance  to  do  otherwise,  he  would  be  but  an 
automaton  and  not  an  evolving  God.  As  the  builder 
learns  by  his  mistakes,  correcting  past  errors  in  future 
buildings,  so  man,  by  means  of  his  blunders,  and  the  pain 
they  cause  him,  is  attaining  to  a  higher  (because  self- 
conscious)  wisdom  than  the  animal,  which  acts  wisely 
because  it  is  impelled  to  action  by  the  group-spirit.  In 


THE  FOUK  KINGDOMS  85 

time  the  animal  will  become  human,  have  liberty  of  choice 
and  will  make  mistakes  and  learn  by  them  as  we  do  now. 

Diagram  4  shows  that  the  group-spirit  of  the  plant 
kingdom  has  its  lowest  vehicle  in  the  Eegion  of  Concrete 
Thought.  It  is  two  steps  removed  from  its  dense  vehicle 
and  consequently  the  plants  have  a  consciousness  corre- 
sponding to  that  of  dreamless  sleep.  The  group-spirit  of 
the  mineral  has  its  lowest  vehicle  in  the  Eegion  of  Abstract 
Thought  and  it  is,  therefore,  three  steps  removed  from  its 
dense  vehicle ;  hence  it  is  in  a  state  of  deep  unconsciousness 
similar  to  the  trance  condition. 

We  have  now  shown  that  man  is  an  individual  indwell- 
ing spirit,  an  Ego  separate  from  all  other  entities,  directing 
and  working  in  one  set  of  vehicles  from  within,  and  that 
plants  and  animals  are  directed  from  without  by  a  group- 
spirit  having  jurisdiction  over  a  number  of  animals  or 
plants  in  our  Physical  World.  They  are  separate  only  in 
appearance. 

The  relations  of  plant,  animal  and  man  to  the  life  cur- 
rents in  the  Earth's  atmosphere  are  symbolically  repre- 
sented by  the  cross.  The  Mineral  Kingdom  is  not  repre- 
sented, because  as  we  have  seen,  it  possesses  no  individual 
vital  body,  hence  cannot  be  the  vehicle  for  currents  belong- 
ing to  the  higher  realms.  Plato,  who  was  an  Initiate,  often 
gave  out  occult  truths.  He  said  "The  World-Soul  is 
crucified." 

The  lower  limb  of  the  cross  indicates  the  plant  with  its 
root  in  the  chemical  mineral  soil.  The  group-spirits  of 
plants  are  at  the  center  of  the  Earth.  They  are  (it  will 
be  remembered)  in  the  Eegion  of  Concrete  Thought,  which 
inter-penetrates  the  Earth,  as  do  all  the  other  Worlds. 
From  these  group-spirits  flow  streams  or  currents  in  all 


86  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTIO.N 

directions  to  the  periphery  of  the  Earth,  passing  outward 
through  the  length  of  plant  or  tree. 

Man  is  represented  by  the  upper  limb;  he  is  the  inverted 
plant.  The  plant  takes  its  food  through  the  root.  Man 
takes  his  food  through  the  head.  The  plant  stretches  its 
generative  organs  towards  the  sun.  Man,  the  inverted 
plant,  turns  his  towards  the  center  of  the  earth.  The  plant 
is  sustained  by  the  spiritual  currents  of  the  group-spirit  in 
the  center  of  the  earth,  which  enter  into  it  by  way  of  the 
root.  Later  it  will  be  shown  that  the  highest  spiritual 
influence  comes  to  man  from  the  sun,  which  sends  its  rays 
through  man,  the  inverted  plant,  from  the  head  downwards. 
The  plant  inhales  the  poisonous  carbon-dioxide  exhaled  by 
man  and  exhales  the  life-giving  oxygen  used  by  him. 

The  animal,  which  is  symbolized  by  the  horizontal  limb 
of  the  cross,  is  between  the  plant  and  the  man.  Its  spine 
is  in  a  horizontal  position  and  through  it  play  the  cur- 
rents of  the  animal  group-spirit  which  encircle  the  Earth. 

No  animal  can  be  made  to  remain  constantly  upright, 
because  in  that  case  the  currents  of  the  group-spirit  could 
not  guide  it,  and  if  it  were  not  sufficiently  individualized  to 
endure  the  spiritual  currents  which  enter  the  vertical 
human  spine,  it  would  die.  It  is  necessary  that  a  vehicle 
for  the  expression  of  an  individual  Ego  shall  have  three 
things — an  upright  walk,  that  it  may  come  into  touch  with 
the  currents  just  mentioned;  an  upright  larynx,  for  only 
such  a  larynx  is  capable  of  speech  (parrots  and  starlings 
are  examples  of  this  effect  of  the  upright  larynx) ;  and, 
owing  to  the  solar  currents,  it  must  have  warm  blood.  The 
latter  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  Ego,  which  will  be 
logically  explained  and  illustrated  later.  These  requisites 
are  simply  mentioned  here  as  the  last  words  on  the  status 
of  the  four  kingdoms  in  relation  to  each  other  and  to  the 
Worlds. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION. 
Activities  of  Life;  Memory  and  Soul-Growth. 

OUR  study  thus  far  of  the  seven  Worlds  or  states  of 
matter  has  shown  us  that  each  serves  a  definite 
purpose  in  the  economy  of  nature,  and  that  God, 
the  Great  Spirit,  in  Whom  we  actually  and  in  fact  "live 
and  move  and  have  our  being,"  is  the  Power  that  per- 
meates and  sustains  the  whole  Universe  with  Its  Life ;  but 
while  that  Life  flows  into  and  is  immanent  in  every  atom  of 
the  six  lower  Worlds  and  all  contained  therein,  in  the 
Seventh— the  highest — the  Triune  God  alone  is. 

The  next  highest  or  sixth  realm  is  the  World  of  Virgin 
Spirits.  Here  those  sparks  from  the  divine  "Flam-"  have 
their  being  before  they  commence  their  long  pilgrimage 
through  the  five  denser  Worlds  for  the  purpose  of  develop- 
ing latent  potentialities  into  dynamic  powers.  As  the  seed 
unfolds  its  hidden  possibilities  by  being  buried  in  the  soil, 
so  these  virgin  spirits  will,  in  time,  when  they  have  passed 
through  matter  (the  school  of  experience),  also  become 
divine  "Flames,"  capable  of  bringing  forth  universes  from 
themselves. 

The  five  Worlds  constitute  the  field  of  man's  evolution, 
the  three  lower  or  denser  being  the  scene  of  the  present 
phase  of  his  development.  We  will  now  consider  him  as 
related  to  these  five  Worlds  by  means  of  his  appropriate 
vehicles,  remembering  the  two  grand  divisions  into  which 
two  of  these  Worlds  are  divided,  and  that  man  has  a  vehicle 
for  each  of  these  divisions. 

87 


88  EOS1CRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

THE  SEVENFOLD  CONSTITUTION  OF  MAN. 
World  or  Eegion.  Corresponding  Vehicle. 

5 .  .World  of  Divine  Spirit Divine  Spirit    ,  _, 

4 . .       r  i  Life  Spirit         !  ^e     „  , ,     The 


[Thought    jj  Region'of  Concrete  Thought..  Mind..  (The  Mind  is 

the  mirror 
through  which 
the  threefold 
spirit  reflects 
itself  i  n  t  h  e 

i  threefold 

body;    the  fo- 
cussing -  point. 
See  Diagr.  1.) 
2     Desire  World. . .      ...... .Desire  Body  -,  Th    Three.fold  Bod 

liicaF"     )EthericReglon'-VltalBody      L  the  Shadow  of  the 
(World   j  Chemical  Region. Dense  Body  J  Threefold  Spirit. 

In  the  waking  state  these  vehicles  are  all  together.  They 
inter-penetrate  one  another  as  the  blood,  the  lymph,  and 
other  juices  of  the  body  inter-penetrate.  Thus  is  the  Ego 
enabled  to  act  in  the  Physical  World. 

We  ourselves,  as  Egos,  function  directly  in  the  subtle 
substance  of  the  Eegion  of  Abstract  Thought,  which  we 
have  specialized  within  the  periphery  of  our  individual 
aura.  Thence  we  view  the  impressions  made  by  the  outer 
world  upon  the  vital  body  through  the  senses,  together  with 
the  feelings  and  emotions  generated  by  them  in  the  desire 
body,  and  mirrored  in  the  mind. 

From  these  mental  images  we  form  our  conclusions,  in 
the  substance  of  the  Eegion  of  Abstract  Thought,  con- 
cerning the  subjects  with  which  they  deal.  These  con- 
clusions are  ideas.  By  the  power  of  will  we  project  an 
idea  through  the  mind,  where  it  takes  concrete  shape  as 
a  thought-form  by  drawing  mind-stuff  around  itself  from 
the  Eegion  of  Concrete  Thought. 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION     89 

The  mind  is  like  the  projecting  lens  of  a  stereopticon. 
It  projects  the  image  in  one  of  three  directions,  according 
to  the  will  of  the  thinker,  which  ensouls  the  thought-form. 

(1)  It  may  be  projected  against  the  desire  body  in  an 
endeavor  to  arouse  feeling  which  will  lead  to  immediate 
action. 

(a)  If  the  thought  awakens  Interest  one  of  the  twin 
forces,  Attraction  or  Repulsion,  will  be  stirred  up. 

If  Attraction,  the  centrifugal  force,  is  aroused,  it  seizes 
the  thought,  whirls  it  into  the  desire  body,  endows  the 
image  with  added  life  and  clothes  it  with  desire-stuff. 
Then  the  thought  is  able  to  act  on  the  etheric  brain,  and 
propel  the  vital  force  through  the  appropriate  brain  cen- 
ters and  nerves  to  the  voluntary  muscles  which  perform 
the  necessary  action.  Thus  the  force  in  the  thought  is 
expended  and  the  image  remains  in  the  ether  of  the  vital 
body  as  memory  of  the  act  and  the  feeling  that  caused  it. 

(b)  Eepulsion  is  the  centripetal  force  and  if  that  is 
aroused  by  the  thought  there  will  be  a  struggle  between 
the    spiritual    force    (the    will  of  the  man)    within    the 
thought-form,  and  the  desire  body.    This  is  the  battle  be- 
tween conscience  and  desire,  the  higher  and  the  lower 
nature.     The  spiritual  force,  in  spite  of  resistance,  will 
seek  to  clothe  the  thought-form  in  the  desire-stuff  needed 
to  manipulate  the  brain  and  muscles.     The  force  of  Re- 
pulsion will  endeavor  to  scatter  the  appropriated  material 
and  oust  the  thought.     If  the  spiritual  energy  is  strong 
it  may  force  its  way  through  to  the  brain  centers  and  hold 
its  clothing  of  desire-stuff  while  manipulating  the  vital 
force,  thus  compelling  action,  and  will  then  leave  upon 
the  memory  a  vivid  impression  of  the  struggle  and  the 
victory.    If  the  spiritual  energy  is  exhausted  before  action 
has  resulted,  it  will  be  overcome  by  the  force  of  Repul- 


90  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

sion,  and  will  be  stored  in  the  memory,  as  are  all  other 
thought-forms  when  they  have  expended  their  energy. 

(c)  If  the  thought-form  meets  the  withering  feeling 
of  Indifference  it  depends  upon  the  spiritual  energy  con- 
tained in  it  whether  it  will  be  able  to  compel  action,  or 
simply  leave  a  weak  impress  upon  the  reflecting  ether  of 
the  vital  body  after  its  kinetic  energy  has  been  exhausted. 

(2)  Where  no  immediate  action  is  called  for  by  the 
mental  images  of  impacts  from   without,  these  may  be 
projected  directly  upon  the  reflecting  ether,  together  with 
the  thoughts  occasioned  by  them,  to  be  used  at  some  future 
time.     The  spirit,  working  through  the  mind,  has  instant 
access  to  the  storehouse  of  conscious  memory  and  may  at 
any  time  resurrect  any  of  the  pictures  found  there,  endue 
them  with  new  spiritual  force,  and  project  them  upon 
the  desire  body  to  compel  action.     Each  time  such  a  pic- 
ture is  thus  used  it  will  gain  in  vividness,  strength  and 
efficiency,  and  will  compel  action  along  its  particular  line 
more  readily  than  on  previous  occasions,  because  it  cuts 
grooves,  and  produces  the  phenomenon  of  thought,  "gain- 
ing" or  "growing"'  upon  us  by  repetition. 

(3)  A  third  way  of  using  a  thought-form  is  when  the 
thinker  projects  it  toward  another  mind  to  act  as  a  sug- 
gestion,  to  carry   information,  etc.,  as  in   thought-trans- 
ference, or  it  may  be  directed  against  the  desire  body  of 
another  person  to  compel  action,  as  in  the  case  of  a  hypno- 
tist influencing  a  victim  at  a  distance.     It  will  then  act 
in  precisely  the  same  manner  as  if  it  were  the  victim's 
own  thought.     If  in  line  with  his  proclivities  it  will  act 
as  per  paragraph  la.     If  contrary  to  his  nature,  as  des- 
cribed in  Ib  or  Ic. 

When  the  work  designed  for  such  a  projected  thought- 
form  has  been  accomplished,  or  its  energy  expended  in 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION     91 

vain  attempts  to  achieve  its  object,  it  gravitates  back  to 
its  creator,  bearing  with  it  the  indelible  record  of  the  jour- 
ney. Its  success  or  failure  is  imprinted  on  the  negative 
atoms  of  the  reflecting  ether  of  its  creator's  .vital  body, 
where  it  forms  that  part  of  the  record  of  the  thinker's 
life  and  action  which  is  sometimes  called  the  sub-conscious 
mind. 

This  record  is  much  more  important  than  the  memory 
to  which  we  have  conscious  access,  for  the  latter  is  made 
up  from  imperfect  and  illusive  sense-perceptions  and  is 
the  voluntary  memory  or  conscious  mind. 

The  involuntary  memory  or  sub-conscious  mind  comes 
into  being  in  a  different  way,  altogether  beyond  our  con- 
trol at  present.  As  the  ether  carries  to  the  sensitive  film 
in  the  camera  an  accurate  impresion  of  the  surrounding 
landscape,  taking  in  the  minutest  detail  regardless  of 
whether  the  photographer  has  observed  it  or  not,  so  the 
ether  contained  in  the  air  we  inspire  carries  with  it  an 
accurate  and  detailed  picture  of  all  our  surroundings. 
Not  only  of  material  things,  but  also  the  conditions  ex- 
isting each  moment  within  our  aura.  The  slightest 
thought,  feeling  or  emotion  is  transmitted  to  the  lungs, 
where  it  is  injected  into  the  blood.  The  blood  is  one  of 
the  highest  products  of  the  vital  body  as  it  is  the  carrier 
of  nourishment  to  every  part  of  the  body,  and  the  direct 
vehicle  of  the  Ego.  The  pictures  it  contains  are  impressed 
upon  the  negative  atoms  of  the  vital  body,  to  serve  as 
arbiters  of  the  man's  destiny  in  the  post  mortem  state. 

The  memory  (or  so-called  mind),  both  conscious  and 
sub-conscious,  relates  wholly  to  the  experiences  of  this 
life.  It  consists  of  impressions  of  events  on  the  vital  body. 
These  may  be  changed  or  even  eradicated,  as  noted  in 
the  explanation  concerning  the  forgiveness  of  sins  which 


92  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

is  given  a  few  pages  further  on,  which  change  or  eradi- 
cation depends  upon  the  elimination  of  these  impressions 
from  the  ether  of  the  vital  hody. 

There  is  also  a  superconscious  memory.  That  is  the 
storehouse  of  all  faculties  acquired  and  knowledge  gained 
in  previous  lives,  though  perhaps  latent  in  the  present 
incarnation.  This  record  is  indelibly  engraven  on  the 
life  spirit.  It  manifests  ordinarily,  though  not  to  the 
full  extent,  as  conscience  and  character  which  ensouls  all 
thought-forms,  sometimes  as  counsellor,  sometimes  com- 
pelling action  with  resistless  force,  even  contrary  to  reason 
and  desire. 

In  many  women,  in  whom  the  vital  body  is  positive, 
and  in  advanced  people  of  either  sex  where  the  vital  body 
has  been  sensitized  by  a  pure  and  holy  life,  by  prayer  and 
concentration,  this  superconscious  memory  inherent  in 
the  life  spirit  is  occasionally,  to  some  extent,  above  the 
necessity  of  clothing  itself  in  mind  stuff  and  desire  mat- 
ter in  order  to  compel  action.  It  does  not  always  need  to 
incur  the  danger  of  being  subjected  to  and  perhaps  over- 
ruled by  a  process  of  reasoning.  Sometimes,  in  the  form 
of  intuition  or  teaching  from  within,  it  impresses  itself 
directly  upon  the  reflecting  ether  of  the  vital  body.  The 
more  readily  we  learn  to  recognize  it  and  follow  its  dic- 
tates, the  oftener  it  will  speak,  to  our  eternal  welfare. 

By  their  activities  during  waking  hours  the  desire  body 
and  the  mind  are  constantly  destroying  the  dense  vehicle. 
Every  thought  and  movement  breaks  down  tissue.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  vital  body  faithfully  endeavors  to  restore 
harmony  and  build  up  what  the  other  vehicles  are  tearing 
down.  It  is  not  able,  however,  to  entirely  withstand  the 
powerful  onslaughts  of  the  impulses  and  thoughts.  It 
gradually  loses  ground  and  at  last  there  comes  a  time 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION          93 

when  it  collapses.  Its  "points"  shrivel-up,  so  to  say.  The 
vital  fluid  ceases  to  flow  along  the  nerves  in  sufficient 
quantity;  the  body  becomes  drowsy,  the  Thinker  is  ham- 
pered by  its  drowsiness  and  forced  to  withdraw,  taking  the 
desire  body  with  him.  This  withdrawal  of  the  higher 
vehicles  leaves  the  dense  body  interpenetrated  by  the  vital 
body  in  the  senseless  state  we  call  sleep. 

Sleep,  however,  is  not  by  any  means  an  inactive  state, 
as  people  generally  suppose.  If  it  were,  the  body  would 
be  no  different  on  awakening  in  the  morning  from  its  con- 
dition when  it  went  to  sleep  at  night;  its  fatigue  would 
be  just  as  great.  On  the  contrary,  sleep  is  a  period  of 
intense  activity  and  the  more  intense  it  is  the  greater  its 
value,  for  it  eliminates  the  poisons  resulting  from  tissue 
destroyed  by  the  mental  and  physical  activities  of  the  day. 
The  tissues  are  re-built  and  the  rhythm  of  the  body  re- 
stored. The  more  thoroughly  this  work  is  done  the  greater 
the  benefit  accruing  from  sleep. 

The  Desire  World  is  an  ocean  of  wisdom  and  harmony. 
Into  this  the  Ego  takes  the  mind  and  the  desire  body 
when  the  lower  vehicles  have  been  left  in  sleep.  There  the 
first  care  of  the  Ego  is  the  restoration  of  the  rhythm  and 
harmony  of  the  mind  and  the  desire  body.  This  res- 
toration is  accomplished  gradually  as  the  harmonious 
vibrations  of  the  Desire  World  flow  through  them.  There 
is  an  essence  in  the  Desire  World  corresponding  to  the 
vital  fluid  which  permeates  the  dense  body  by  means  of 
the  vital  body.  The  higher  vehicles,  as  it  were,  steep  them- 
selves in  this  elixir  of  life.  When  strengthened,  they 
commence  work  on  the  vital  body,  which  was  left  with 
the  sleeping  dense  body.  Then  the  vital  body  begins  to 
specialize  the  solar  energy  anew,  rebuilding  the  dense 


94  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPT iOX 

body,  using  particularly  the  chemical  ether  as  its  medium 
in  the  process  of  restoration. 

It  is  this  activity  of  the  different  vehicles  during  sleep 
which  forms  the  basis  for  the  activity  of  the  following 
day.  Without  that  there  would  be  no  awakening,  for  the 
Ego  was  forced  to  abandon  his  vehicles  because  their  weari- 
ness rendered  them  useless.  If  the  work  of  removing  that 
fatigue  were  not  clone,  the  bodies  would  remain  asleep, 
as  sometimes  happens  in  natural  trance.  It  is  just  because 
of  this  harmonizing,  recuperative  activity  that  sleep  is 
better  than  doctor  or  medicine  in  preserving  health.  Mere 
rest  is  nothing  in  comparison  with  sleep.  It  is  only  while 
the  higher  vehicles  are  in  the  Desire  World  that  there  is 
a  total  suspension  of  waste  and  an  influx  of  restoring 
force.  It  is  true  that  during  rest  the  vital  body  is  not 
hampered  in  its  work  by  tissue  being  broken  down  by 
active  motion  and  tense  muscles,  but  still  it  must  contend 
with  the  wasting  energy  of  thought  and  it  does  not  then 
receive  the  outside  recuperative  force  from  the  desire  body 
as  during  sleep. 

It  happens,  however,  that  at  times  the  desire  body  does 
not  fully  withdraw,  so  that  part  of  it  remains  connected 
with  the  vital  body,  the  vehicle  for  sense-perception  and 
memory.  The  result  is  that  restoration  is  only  partly  ac- 
complished and  that  the  scenes  and  actions  of  the  Desire 
World  are  brought  into  the  physical  consciousness  as 
dreams.  Of  course  most  dreams  are  confused  as  the  axis 
of  perception  is  askew,  because  of  the  improper  relation 
of  one  body  to  another.  The  memory  is  also  confused  by 
this  incongruous  relation  of  the  vehicles  and  as  a  result 
of  the  restoring  force  dream-filled  sleep  is  restless  and  the 
body  feels  tired  on  awakening. 

During  life  the  threefold  spirit,  the  Ego,  works  on  and 


MAX  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION 


95 


in  the  threefold  body,  to  which  it  is  connected  by  the  link 
of  mind.  This  work  brings  the  threefold  soul  into  being. 
The  soul  is  the  spiritualized  product  of  the  body. 


Diagram    5   shows    the   Tenfold   Constitution   of   Man. 

Man  Is  a  threefold  Spirit,  possessing  a  Mind  by  means  of  which  be  gov- 
erns a  threefold  Body,  which  he  eman  ated  from  himself  to  gather  experience. 
This  threefold  body  he  transmutes  into  a  threefold  Soul,  upon  which  he  nour- 
ishes himself  from  Impotence  to  omnipotence. 


The  DiTfne  Spirit 
The  Life  Spirit 
The  Human  Spirit 


emanates  C  The  Dense  Body    )  extracting 
from     <  The  Vital  Body  as 

itself    f  The  Desire  Body  )    pabulum 


Conscious  Soul 
Intellectual  Soul 
Emotional  Soul 


The  mirror  of  Mind  also  contributes  increasingly  to  spiritual  growth  as 
the  thoughts  which  it  transmits  to  and  from  the  Spirit  polish  it  to  greater 
brightness,  sharpening  and  intensifying  its  focus  more  and  more  to  a  single 
point,  perfectly  flexible  and  under  the  control  of  the  Spirit. 


96  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

As  proper  food  feeds  the  body  in  a  material  sense,  so 
the  activity  of  the  spirit  in  the  dense  body,  which  results 
in  right  action,  promotes  the  growth  of  the  Conscious 
Soul.  As  the  forces  from  the  sun  play  in  the  vital  body 
and  nourish  it,  that  it  may  act  on  the  dense  body,  so  the 
memory  of  actions  done  in  the  dense  body — the  desires, 
feelings  and  emotions  of  the  desire  body  and  the  thoughts 
and  ideas  in  the  mind — cause  the  growth  of  the  Intel- 
lectual Soul.  In  like  manner  the  highest  desires  and  emo- 
tions of  the  desire  body  form  the  Emotional  Soul. 

This  threefold  soul  in  turn  enhances  the  consciousness 
of  the  threefold  spirit. 

The  Emotional  Soul,  which  is  the  extract  of  the  desire 
body,  adds  to  the  efficiency  of  the  Human  Spirit,  which 
is  the  spiritual  counterpart  of  the  desire  body. 

The  Intellectual  Soul  gives  added  power  to  the  Life 
Spirit,  because  the  Intellectual  Soul  is  extracted  from  the 
vital  body,  which  is  the  material  counterpart  of  the  Life 
Spirit. 

The  Conscious  Soul  increases  the  consciousness  of  the 
Divine  Spirit  because  it  (the  Conscious  Soul)  is  the 
extract  of  the  dense  body,  which  latter  is  the  counterpart 
of  the  Divine  Spirit. 

DEATH  AND  PURGATORY. 

So  man  builds  and  sows  until  the  moment  of  death  ar- 
rives. Then  the  seed-time  and  the  periods  of  growth  and 
ripening  are  past.  The  harvest  time  has  come,  when  the 
skeleton  spectre  of  Death  arrives  with  his  scythe  and 
hour-glass.  That  is  a  good  symbol.  The  skeleton  symbol- 
izes the  relatively  permanent  part  of  the  body.  The 
scythe  represents  the  fact  that  this  permanent  part,  which 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION     97 

is  about  to  be  harvested  by  the  spirit,  is  the  fruitage  of  the 
life  now  drawing  to  a  close.  The  hour-glass  in  his  hand 
indicates  that  the  hour  does  not  strike  until  the  full  course 
has  been  run  in  harmony  with  unvarying  laws.  When 
that  moment  arrives  a  separation  of  the  vehicles  takes 
place.  As  his  life  in  the  Physical  World  is  ended  for  the 
time  being,  it  is  not  necessary  for  man  to  retain  his  dense 
body.  The  vital  body,  which  as  we  have  explained,  also 
belongs  to  the  Physical  World,  is  withdrawn  by  way  of 
the  head,  leaving  the  dense  body  inanimate. 

The  higher  vehicles — vital  body,  desire  body  and  mind 
— are  seen  to  leave  the  dense  body  with  a  spiral  movement, 
taking  with  them  the  soul  of  one  dense  atom.  NV)t  the 
atom  itself,  but  the  forces  that  played  through  it.  The 
results  of  the  experiences  passed  through  in  the  dense  body 
during  the  life  just  ended  have  been  impressed  upon  this 
particular  atom.  While  all  the  other  atoms  of  the  dense 
body  have  been  renewed  from  time  to  time,  this  permanent 
atom  has  remained.  It  has  remained  stable,  not  only 
through  one  life,  but  it-  has  been  a  part  of  every  dense 
body  ever  used  by  a  particular  Ego.  It  is  withdrawn  at 
death  only  to  reawaken  at  the  dawn  of  another  physical 
life,  to  serve  again  as  the  nucleus  around  which  is  built 
the  new  dense  body  to  be  used  by  the  same  Ego.  It  is 
therefore  called  the  "Seed- Atom."  During  life  the  seed- 
atom  is  situated  in  the  left  ventricle  of  the  heart,  near  the 
apex.  At  death  it  rises  to  the  brain  by  way  of  the  pneu- 
mogastric  nerve,  leaving  the  dense  body,  together  with 
the  higher  vehicles,  by  way  of  the  sutures  between  the 
parietal  and  occipital  bones. 

When  the  higher  vehicles  have  left  the  dense  body  they 
are  still  connected  with  it  by  a  slender,  glistening,  silvery 


98  KOSICRUOIAN  COSMO-CONOEPTTON 

cord  shaped  much  like  two  figure  sixes,  one  upright  and 
one  reversed,  the  two  connected  at  the  extremities  of  the 
hooks.  (See  diagram  5£.) 

One  end  is  fastened  to  the  heart  liy  means  of  the  seed- 
atom,  and  it  is  the  rupture  of  the  seed-atom  which  causes 
the  heart  to  stop.  The  cord  itself  is  not  snapped  until 
the  panorama  of  the  past  life,  contained  in  the  vital  body, 
has  been  reviewed. 

Care  should  be  taken,  however,  not  to  cremate  or  em- 
balm the  body  until  at  least  three  days  after  death,  for 
while  the  vital  body  is  with  the  higher  vehicles,  and  they 
are  still  connected  with  the  dense  body  by  means  of  the 
silver  cord,  any  post  mortem  examination  or  other  injury 
to  the  dense  body  will  be  felt,  in  a  measure,  by  the  'man. 


DIAGRAM 

5/2  POINT  OF 

SEPARATION 


Cremation  should  be  particularly  avoided  in  the  first  three 
days  after  death,  because  it  tends  to  disintegrate  the  vital 
body,  which  should  be  kept  intact  until  the  panorama  of 
the  past  life  has  been  etched  into  the  desire  body. 

The  silver  cord  snaps  at  the  point  where  the  sixes  t*nite, 
half  remaining  with  the  dense  body  and  the  othe*- 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION     99 

with  the  higher  vehicles.  From  the  time  the  cord  snaps 
the  dense  body  is  quite  dead. 

In  the  beginning  of  1906  Dr.  ilcDougall  made  a  series 
of  experiments  in  the  Massachusetts  General  Hospital, 
to  determine,  if  possible,  whether  anything  not  ordinarily 
visible  left  the  body  at  death.  For  this  purpose  he  con- 
structed a  pair  of  scales  capable  of  registering  differences 
of  one-tenth  of  an  ounce. 

The  dying  person  and  his  bed  were  placed  on  one  of 
the  platforms  of  the  scale,  which  was  then  balanced  by 
weights  placed  on  the  opposite  platform.  In  every  in- 
stance it  was  noted  that  at  the  precise  moment  when  the 
dying  person  drew  the  last  breath,  the  platform  contain- 
ing the  weights  dropped  with  a  startling  suddenness,  lift- 
ing the  bed  and  the  body,  thus  showing  that  something 
invisible,  but  having  weight,  had  left  the  body.  There- 
upon the  newspapers  all  over  the  country  announced  in 
glaring  headlines  that  Dr.  McDougall  had  "weighed  the 
soul." 

Occultism  hails  with  joy  the  discoveries  of  modern 
science,  as  they  invariably  corroborate  what  occult  science 
has  long  taught.  The  experiments  of  Dr.  McDougall 
showed  conclusively  that  something  invisible  to  ordinary 
sight  left  the  body  at  death,  as  trained  clairvoyants  had 
seen,  and  as  had  been  stated  in  lectures  and  literature  for 
many  years  previous  to  Dr.  McDougall's  discovery. 

But  this  invisible  "something"  is  not  the  soul.  There 
is  a  great  difference.  The  reporters  jump  at  conclusions 
when  they  state  that  the  scientists  have  "weighed  the 
soul."  The  soul  belongs  to  higher  realms  and  can  never 
be  weighed  on  physical  scales,  even  though  they  registered 
variation?  of  one-millionth  part  of  a  grain  instead  of  one- 
tenth  of  an  ounce. 


100  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

It  was  the  vital  body  which  the  scientists  weighed.  It 
is  formed  of  the  four  ethers  and  they  belong  to  the  Phys- 
ical World. 

As  we  have  seen,  a  certain  amount  of  this  ether  is 
"superimposed"  upon  the  ether  which  envelops  the  parti- 
cles of  the  human  body  and  is  confined  there  during  phys- 
ical life,  adding  in  a  slight  degree  to  the  weight  of  the 
dense  body  of  plant,  animal  and  man.  In  death  it  escapes ; 
hence  the  diminution  in  weight  noticed  by  Dr.  KcDougall 
when  the  persons  with  whom  he  experimented  expired. 

Dr.  McDougall  also  tried  his  scales  in  weighing  dying 
animals.  No  diminution  was  found  here,  though  one  of 
the  animals  was  a  large  St.  Bernard  dog.  That  was  taken 
to  indicate  that  animals  have  no  souls.  A  little  later, 
however,  Professor  La  V.  Twining,  head  of  the  Science 
Department  of  the  Los  Angeles  Polytechnic  School,  ex- 
perimented with  mice  and  kittens,  which  he  enclosed  in 
hermetically  sealed  glass  flasks.  His  scales  were  the  most 
sensitive  procurable  and  were  enclosed  in  a  glass  case 
from  which  all  moisture  had  been  removed.  It  was  found 
that  all  the  animals  observed  lost  weight  at  death.  A 
good-sized  mouse,  weighing  12.886  grams,  suddenly  lost 
3.1  milligrams  at  death. 

A  kitten  used  in  another  experiment  lost  one  hundred 
milligrams  while  dying  and  at  its  last  gasp  it  suddenly 
lost  an  additional  sixty  milligrams.  After  that  it  lost 
weight  slowly,  due  to  evaporation. 

Thus  the  teaching  of  occult  science  in  regard  to  the 
possession  of  vital  bodies  by  animals  was  also  vindicated 
when  sufficiently  fine  scales  were  used,  and  the  case  where 
the  rather  insensitive  scales  did  not  show  diminution  in 
the  weight  of  the  St.  Bernard  dog  shows  that  the  vital 
bodies  of  animals  are  proportionately  lighter  than  in  man. 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    1Q1 

When  the  "silver  cord"  has  broken  in  the  heart,  and 
man  has  been  released  from  his  dense  body,  a  moment 
of  the  highest  importance  comes  to  the  Ego,  and  it  can- 
not be  too  seriously  impressed  upon  the  relatives  of  a  dy- 
ing person  that  it  is  a  great  crime  against  the  departing 
soul  to  give  expression  to  loud  grief  and  lamentations,  for 
it  is  just  then  engaged  in  a  matter  of  supreme  importance 
and  a  great  deal  of  the  value  of  the  past  life  depends  upon 
how  much  attention  the  soul  can  give  to  this  matter. 
This  will  be  made  clearer  when  we  come  to  the  descrip- 
tion of  man's  life  in  the  Desire  World. 

It  is  also  a  crime  against  the  dying  to  administer  stim- 
ulants which  have  the  effect  of  forcing  the  higher  vehicles 
back  into  the  dense  body  with  a  jerk,  thus  imparting  a 
great  shock  to  the  man.  It  is  no  torture  to  pass  out,  but  it 
is  torture  to  be  dragged  back  to  endure  further  suffering. 
Some  who  have  passed  out  have  told  investigators  that 
they  had,  in  that  way,  been  kept  dying  for  hours  and  had 
prayed  that  their  relatives  would  cease  their  mistaken 
kindness  and  let  them  die. 

When  the  man  is  freed  from  the  dense  body,  which  was 
the  heaviest  clog  upon  his  spiritual  power  (like  the  heavy 
mitten  on  the  hand  of  the  musician  in  our  previous  illus- 
tration), his  spiritual  power  comes  back  in  some  measure, 
and  he  is  able  to  read  the  pictures  in  the  negative  pole  of 
the  reflecting  ether  of  his  vital  body,  which  is  the  seat 
of  the  sub-conscious  memory. 

The  whole  of  his  past  life  passes  before  his  sight  like 
a  panorama,  the  events  being  presented  in  reverse  order. 
The  incidents  of  the  days  immediately  preceding  death 
come  first  and  so  on  back  through  manhood  or  woman- 
hood to  youth,  childhood  and  infancy.  Everything  is  re- 
membered. 


102  KOSICRTJOIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

The  man  stand?  as  a  spectator  before  this  panorama  of 
his  past  life.  He  gees  the  pictures  as  they  pass  and  they 
impress  themselves  upon  his  higher  vehicles,  hut  he  has 
119  fueling  ahout  them  at  this  time.  That  is  reserved  until 
the  time  when  he  enters  into  the  Desire  World,  which  is 
the  world  of  feeling  and  emotion.  At  present  he  is  only 
in  the  Etheric  Eegion  of  the  Physical  World. 

This  panorama  lasts  from  a  few  hours  to  several  days, 
depending  upon  the  length  of  time  the  man  could  keep 
awake,  if  necessary.  Some  people  can  keep  awake  only 
twelve  hours,  or  even  less ;  others  can  do  so,  upon  occasion, 
for  a  number  of  days,  but  as  long  as  the  man  can  remain 
awake,  this  panorama  lasts. 

This  feature  of  life  after  death  is  similar  to  that  which 
takes  place  when  one  is  drowning  or  falling  from  a  height. 
In  such  cases  the  vital  body  also  leaves  the  dense  body  and 
the  man  sees  his  life  in  a  flash,  because  he  loses  conscious- 
ness at  once.  Of  course  the  "silver  cord"  is  not  broken, 
or  there  could  be  no  resuscitation. 

When  the  endurance  of  the  vital  body  has  reached  its 
limit,  it  collapses  in  the  way  described  when  we  were  con- 
sidering the  phenomenon  of  sleep.  During  physical  life, 
when  the  Ego  controls  its  vehicles,  this  collapse  terminates 
the  waking  hours;  after  death  the  collapse  of  the  vital 
body  terminates  the  panorama  and  forces  the  man  to  with- 
draw into  the  Desire  World.  The  silver  cord  breaks  at  the 
point  where  the  "sixes"  unite  (see  diagram  5£),  and  the 
same  division  is  made  as  during  sleep,  but  with  this  im- 
portant difference,  that  though  the  vital  body  returns  to  the 
dense  body,  it  no  longer  interpenetrates  it,  but  simply 
hovers  over  it.  It  remains  floating  over  the  grave,  decaying 
synchronously  with  the  dense  vehicle.  Hence,  to  the  trained 
clairvoyant,  a  graveyard  is  a  nauseating  sight  and  if  only 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION          1Q3 

more  people  could  see  it  as  he  does,  little  argument  would 
be  necessary  to  induce  them  to  change  from  the  present 
unsanitary  method  of  disposing  of  the  dead  to  the  more 
rational  method  of  cremation,  which  restores  the  elements 
to  their  primordial  condition  without  the  objectionable 
features  incident  to  the  process  of  slow  decay. 

In  leaving  the  vital  body  the  process  is  much  the  same 
as  when  the  dense  body  is  discarded.  The  life  forces  of  one 
atom  are  taken,  to  be  used  as  a  nucleus  for  the  vital  body 
of  a  future  incarnation.  Thus,  upon  his  entrance  into 
the  Desire  World  the  man  has  the  seed-atoms  of  the  dense 
and  the  vital  bodies,  in  addition  to  the  desire  body  and 
the  mind. 

If  the  dying  man  could  leave  all  desires  behind,  the  de- 
sire body  would  very  quickly  fall  away  from  him,  leaving 
him  free  to  proceed  into  the  heaven  world,  but  that  is  not 
generally  the  case.  Most  people,  especially  if  they  die  in 
the  prime  of  life,  have  many  ties  and  much  interest  in 
life  on  earth.  They  have  not  altered  their  desires  because 
they  have  lost  their  physical  bodies.  In  fact  often  their 
desires  are  even  augmented  by  a  very  intense  longing  to 
return.  This  acts  in  such  a  manner  as  to  bind  them  to 
the  Desire  World  in  a  very  unpleasant  way,  although  un- 
fortunately, they  do  not  realize  it.  On  the  other  hand,  old 
and  decrepit  persons  and  those  who  are  weakened  by  long 
illness  and  are  tired  of  life,  pass  on  very  quickly. 

The  matter  may  be  illustrated  by  the  ease  with  which 
the  seed  falls  out  of  the  ripe  fruit,  no  particle  of  the  flesh 
clinging  to  it,  while  in  the  unripe  fruit  the  seed  clings 
to  the  flesh  with  the  greatest  tenacity.  Thus  it  is  espe- 
cially hard  for  people  to  die  who  were  taken  out  of  their 
bodies  by  accident  while  at  the  height  of  their  physical 
health  and  strength,  engaged  in  numerous  wavs  in  the 


104  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

activities  of  physical  life;  held  by  the  ties  of  wife,  family, 
relatives,  friends,  pursuits  of  business  and  pleasure. 

The  suicide,  who  tries  to  get  away  from  life,  only  to 
find  that  he  is  as  much  alive  as  ever,  is  in  the  most  piti- 
able plight.  He  is  able  to  watch  those  whom  he  has,  per- 
haps, disgraced  by  his  act,  and  worst  of  all,  he  has  an  un- 
speakable feeling  of  being  "hollowed  out."  The  part  iri 
the  ovoid  aura  where  the  dense  body  used  to  be  is  empty 
and  although  the  desire  body  has  taken  the  form  of  the 
discarded  dense  body,  it  feels  like  an  empty  shell,  because 
the  creative  archetype  of  the  body  in  the  Eegion  of  Con- 
crete Thought  persists  as  an  empty  mold,  so  to  speak,  as 
long  as  the  dense  body  should  properly  have  lived.  When 
a  person  meets  a  natural  death,  even  in  the  prime  of  life, 
the  activity  of  the  archetype  ceases,  and  the .  desire  body 
adjusts  itself  so  as  to  occupy  the  whole  of  the  form,  but 
in  the  case  of  the  suicide  that  awful  feeling  of  "empti- 
ness" remains  until  the  time  comes  when,  in  the  natural 
course  of  events,  his  death  would  have  occurred. 

As  long  as  the  man  entertains  the  desires  connected 
with  earth  life  he  must  stay  in  his  desire  body  and  as  the 
progress  of  the  individual  requires  that  he  pass  on  to 
higher  Eegions,  the  existence  in  the  Desire  World  must 
necessarily  become  purgative,  tending  to  purify  him  from 
his  binding  desires.  How  this  is  done  is  best  seen  by  tak- 
ing some  radical  instances. 

The  miser  who  loved  his  gold  in  earth  life  loves  it  just 
as  dearly  after  death;  but  in  the  first  place  he  cannot 
acquire  any  more,  because  he  has  no  longer  a  dense  body 
wherewith  to  grasp  it  and  worst  of  all,  he  cannot  even  keep 
what  he  hoarded  during  life.  He  will,  perhaps,  go  and  sit 
by  his  safe  and  watch  the  cherished  gold  or  bonds;  but 
the  heirs  appear  and  with,  it  may  "be,  a  stinging  jeer  at  the 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    1Q5 

"stingy  old  fool"  (whom  they  do  not  see,  but  who  both 
sees  and  hears  them),  will  open  his  safe,  and  though  he 
may  throw  himself  over  his  gold  to  protect  it,  they  will 
put  their  hands  through  him,  neither  knowing  nor  caring 
that  he  is  there,  and  will  then  proceed  to  spend  his  hoard, 
while  he  suffers  in  sorrow  and  impotent  rage. 

He  will  suffer  keenly,  his  sufferings  all  the  more  ter- 
rible on  account  of  being  entirely  mental,  because  the 
dense  body  dulls  even  suffering  to  some  extent.  In  the 
Desire  World,  however,  these  sufferings  have  full  sway  and 
the  man  suffers  until  he  learns  that  gold  may  be  a  curse. 
Thus  he  gradually  becomes  contented  with  his  lot  and  at 
last  is  freed  from  his  desire  body  and  is  ready  to  go  on. 

Or  take  the  case  of  the  drunkard.  He  is  just  as  fond 
of  intoxicants  after  death  as  he  was  before.  It  is  not  the 
dense  body  that  craves  drink.  It  is  made  sick  by  alcohol 
and  would  rather  be  without  it.  It  vainly  protests  in 
different  ways,  but  the  desire  body  of  the  drunkard  craves 
the  drink  and  forces  the  dense  body  to  take  it,  that  the 
desire  body  may  have  the  sensation  of  pleasure  resulting 
from  the  increased  vibration.  That  desire  remains  after 
the  death  of  the  dense  body,  but  the  drunkard  has  in  his 
desire  body  neither  mouth  to  drink  nor  stomach  to  contain 
physical  liquor.  He  may  and  does  get  into  saloons,  where 
he  interpolates  his  body  into  the  bodies  of  the  drinkers 
to  get  a  little  of  their  vibrations  by  induction,  but  that 
is  too  weak  to  give  him  much  satisfaction.  He  may  and 
also  does  sometimes  get  inside  a  whiskey  cask,  but  that 
also  is  of  no  avail  either  for  there  are  in  the  cask  no  such 
fumes  as  are  generated  in  the  digestive  organs  of  a  tip- 
pler. It  has  no  effect  upon  him  and  he  is  like  a  man  in 
an  open  boat  on  the  ocean,  "Water,  water  everywhere, 
but  not  a  drop  to  drink ;"  consequently  he  suffers  intensely. 


106  KOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

In  time,  however,  he  learns  the  uselessness  of  longing  for 
drink  which  he  cannot  obtain.  As  with  so  many  of  our 
desires  in  the  Earth  life,  all  desires  in  the  Desire  World 
die  for  want  of  opportunity  to  gratify  them.  When  the 
drunkard  has  been  purged,  he  is  ready,  so  far  as  this  habit 
is  concerned,  to  leave  this  state  of  "purgatory"  and  ascend 
into  the  heaven  world. 

Thus  we  see  that  it  is  not  an  avenging  Deity  that  makes 
purgatory  or  hell  for  us,  but  our  own  individual  evil  habits 
and  acts.  According  to  the  intensity  of  our  desires  will 
be  the  time  and  suffering  entailed  in  their  expurgation. 
In  the  cases  mentioned  it  would  have  been  no  suffering 
to  the  drunkard  to  lose  his  worldly  possessions.  If  he  had 
any,  he  did  not  cling  to  them.  Neither  would  it  have 
caused  the  miser  any  pain  to  have  been  deprived  of  in- 
toxicants. It  is  safe  to  say  that  he  would  not  have  cared 
if  there  were  not  a  drop  of  liquor  in  the  world.  But  he 
did  care  about  his  gold,  and  the  drunkard  cared  about 
his  drink  and  so  the  unerring  law  gave  to  each  that  which 
was  needed  to  purge  him  of  his  unhallowed  desires  and 
evil  habits. 

This  is  the  law  that  is  symbolized  in  the  scythe  of  the 
reaper,  Death;  the  law  that  says,  "whatsoever  a  man 
soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap."  It  is  the  law  "of  cause 
and  effect,  which  rules  all  things  in  the  three  Worlds,  in 
every  realm  of  nature — physical,  moral  and  mental. 
Everywhere  it  works  inexorably,  adjusting  all  things,  re- 
storing the  equilibrium  wherever  even  the  slightest  action 
has  brought  about  a  disturbance,  as  all  action  must.  The 
result  may  be  manifest  immediately  or  it  may  be  delayed 
for  years  or  for  lives,  but  sometime,  somewhere,  just  and 
equal  retribution  will  be  made.  The  student  should  par- 
ticularly note  that  its  work  is  absolutely  impersonal. 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    107 

There  is  in  the  universe  neither  reward  nor  punishment. 
All  i.s  the  result  of  invariahle  law.  The  action  of  this 
law  will  be  more  fully  elucidated  in  the  next  chapter, 
where  we  shall  find  it  associated  with  another  Great  Law 
of  the  Cosmos,  which  also  operates  in  the  evolution  of  man. 
The  law  we  are  now  considering  is  called  the  law  of 
Consequence. 

In  the  Desire  World  it  operates  in  purging  man  of  the 
baser  desires  and  the  correction  of  the  weaknesses  and  vices 
which  hinder  his  progress,  by  making  him  suffer  in  the 
manner  best  adapted  to  that  purpose.  If  he  has  made 
others  suffer,  or  has  dealt  unjustly  with  them,  he  will  be 
made  to  suffer  in  that  identical  way.  Be  it  noted,  however, 
that  if  a  person  has  been  subject  to  vices,  or  has  done 
wrong  to  others,  but  has  overcome  his  vices,  or  repented 
and,  as  far  as  posible,  made  right  the  wrong  done,  such 
repentance,  reform  and  restitution  has  purged  him  of 
those  special  vices  and  evil  acts.  The  equilibrium  has 
been  restored  and  the  lesson  learned  during  that  incarna- 
tion, and  therefore  will  not  be  a  cause  of  suffering  after 
death. 

In  the  Desire  World  life  is  lived  about  three  times  as 
rapidly  as  in  the  Physical  World.  A  man  who  has  lived 
to  be  fifty  years  of  age  in  the  Physical  World  would  live 
through  the  same  life  events  in  the  Desire  World  in  about 
sixteen  years.  This  is,  of  course,  only  a  general  gauge. 
There  are  persons  who  remain  in  the  Desire  World  much 
longer  than  their  term  of  physical  life.  Others  again, 
who  have  led  lives  with  few  gross  desires,  pass  through 
in  a  much  shorter  period,  but  the  measure  above  given  is 
very  nearly  correct  for  the  average  man  of  the  present 
day. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  as  the  man  leaves  the  dense 


108  .BOSICBtJCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

body  at  death,  his  past  life  passes  before  him  in  pictures; 
but  at  that  time  he  has  no  feeling  concerning  them. 

During  his  life  in  the  Desire  World  also  these  life  pic- 
tures roll  backwards,  as  before;  but  now  the  man  has  all 
the  feelings  that  it  is  possible  for  him  to  have  as,  one  by 
one,  the  scenes  pass  before  him.  Every  incident  in  his 
past  life  is  now  lived  over  again.  When  he  comes  to  a 
point  where  he  has  injured  someone,  he  himself  feels  the 
pain  as  the  injured  person  felt  it.  He  lives  through  all 
the  sorrow  and  suffering  he  has  caused  to  others  and 
learns  just  how  painful  is  the  hurt  and  how  hard  to  bear 
is  the  sorrow  he  has  caused.  In  addition  there  is  the  fact 
already  mentioned  that  the  suffering  is  much  keener  be- 
cause he  has  no  dense  body  to  dull  the  pain.  Perhaps  that 
is  why  the  speed  of  life  there  is  tripled — that  the  suffer- 
ing may  lose  in  duration  what  it  gains  in  sharpness.  Nat- 
ture's  measures  are  wonderfully  just  and  true. 

There  is  another  characteristic  peculiar  to  this  phase 
of  post  mortem  existence  which  is  intimately  connected 
with  the  fact  (already  mentioned)  that  distance  is  almost 
annihilated  in  the  Desire  World.  When  a  man  dies,  he 
at  once  seems  to  swell  out  in  his  vital  body;  he  appears 
to  himself  to  grow  into  immense  proportions.  This  feel- 
ing is  due  to  the  fact,  not  that  the  body  really  grows,  but 
that  the  perceptive  faculties  receive  so  many  impressions 
from  various  sources,  all  seeming  to  be  close  at  hand. 
The  same  is  true  of  the  desire  body.  The  man  seems  to 
be  present  with  all  the  people  with  whom  on  earth  he 
had  relations  of  a  nature  which  require  correction.  Tf 
he  has  injured  one  man  in  San  Francisco  and  another  in 
New  York,  he  will  feel  as  if  part  of  him  were  in  each 
place.  This  gives  him  a  peculiar  feeling  of  being  cut  to 
pieces. 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    109 

The  student  will  now  understand  the  importance  of  the 
panorama  of  the  past  life  during  the  purgative  existence, 
where  this  panorama  is  realized  in  definite  feelings.  If 
it  lasted  long  and  the  man  were  undisturbed,  the  full, 
deep,  clear  impression  etched  into  the  desire  body  would 
make  life  in  the  Desire  World  more  vivid  and  conscious 
and  the  purgation  more  thorough  than  if,  because  of  dis- 
tress at  the  loud  outbursts  of  grief  on  the  part  of  his  rela- 
tives, at  the  death  bed  and  during  the  three-day  period 
previously  mentioned  the  man  had  only  a  vague  impres- 
sion of  his  past  life.  The  spirit  which  has  etched  a  deep 
clear  record  into  its  desire  body  will  realize  the  mistakes 
of  the  past  life  so  much  more  clearly  and  definitely  than 
if  the  pictures  were  blurred  on  account  of  the  individual's 
attention  being  diverted  by  the  suffering  and  grief  around 
him.  His  feeling  concerning  the  things  which  cause  his 
present  suffering  in  the  Desire  World  will  be  much  more 
definite  if  they  are  drawn  from  a  distinct  panoramic  im- 
pression than  if  the  duration  of  the  process  were  short. 

This  sharp,  clear-cut  feeling  is  of  immense  value  in 
future  lives.  It  stamps  upon  the  seed-atom  of  the  desire 
body  an  ineffaceable  impression  of  itself.  The  experiences 
will  be  forgotten  in  succeeding  lives,  but  the  Feeling  re- 
mains. When  opportunities  occur  to  repeat  the  error  in 
later  lives,  this  Feeling  will  speak  to  us  clearly  and  un- 
mistakably. It  is  the  "still,  small  voice"  which  warns 
us,  though  we  do  not  know  why ;  but  the  clearer  anti  more 
definite  the  panoramas  of  past  lives  have  been,  the  oftener, 
stronger  and  clearer  shall  we  hear  this  voice.  Thus  we 
see  how  important  it  is  that  we  leave  the  passing  spirit  in 
absolute  quietness  after  death.  By  so  doing  we  help  it 
to  reap  the  greatest  possible  benefit  from  the  life  Just 
ended  and  to  avoid  perpetuating  the  same  mistakes  in 


HO  itOSlCKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

future  lives,  while  our  selfish,  hysterical  lamentations  may 
deprive  it  of  much  of  the  value  of  the  life  it  has  just  con- 
cluded. 

The  mission  of  purgatory  is  to  eradicate  the  injurious 
habits  by  making  their  gratification  impossible.  The  in- 
dividual suffers  exactly  as  he  has  made  others  suffer 
through  his  dishonesty,  cruelty,  intolerance,  or  what  not. 
Because  of  this  suffering  he  learns  to  act  kindly,  honestly, 
and  with  forbearance  toward  others  in  future.  Thus,  in 
consequence  of  the  existence  of  this  beneficent  state,  man 
learns  virtue  and  right  action.  When  he  is  reborn  he  is 
free  from  evil  habits,  at  least  every  evil  act  committed  is 
one  of  free  will.  The  tendencies  to  repeat  the  evil  of  past 
lives  remain,  for  we  must  learn  to  do  right  consciously 
and  of  our  own  will.  Upon  occasion  these  tendencies 
tempt  us,  thereby  affording  us  an  opportunity  of  ranging 
ourselves  on  the  side  of  mercy  and  virtue  as  against  vice 
and  cruelty.  But  to  indicate  right  action  and  to  help  us 
resist  the  snares  and  wiles  of  temptation,  we  have  the  feel- 
ing resulting  from  the  expurgation  of  evil  habits  and  the 
expiation  of  the  wrong  acts  of  past  lives.  If  we  heed  that 
feeling  and  abstain  from  the  particular  evil  involved,  the 
temptation  will  cease.  We  have  freed  ourselves  from  it 
for  all  time.  If  we  yield  we  shall  experience  keener  suffer- 
ing than  before  until  at  last  we  have  learned  to  live  by 
the  Golden  Rule,  because  the  way  of  the  transgressor  is 
hard.  Even  then  we  have  not  reached  the  ultimate.  To 
do  good  to  others  because  we  want  them  to  do  good  to  us 
is  essentially  selfish.  In  time  we  must  learn  to  do  good 
regardless  of  how  we  are  treated  by  others ;  as  Christ  said, 
we  must  love  even  our  enemies. 

There  is  an  inestimable  benefit  in  knowing  about  the 
method  and  object  of  this  purgation,  because  we  are  thus 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    m 

enabled  to  forestall  it  by  living  our  purgatory  here  and 
now  day  by  day,  thus  advancing  much  faster  than  would 
otherwise  be  possible.  An  exercise  is  given  in  the  latter 
part  of  this  work,  the  object  of  which  is  purification  as 
an  aid  to  the  development  of  spiritual  sight.  It  consists 
of  thinking  over  the  happenings  of  the  day  after  retiring 
at  night.  We  review  each  incident  of  the  day,  in  reverse 
order,  taking  particular  note  of  the  moral  aspect,  consid- 
ering whether  we  acted  rightly  or  wrongly  in  each  par- 
ticular case  regarding  actions,  mental  attitude  and  habits. 
By  thus  judging  ourselves  day  by  day,  endeavoring  to  cor- 
rect mistakes  and  wrong  actions,  we  shall  materially 
shorten  or  perhaps  even  eliminate  the  necessity  for  pur- 
gatory and  be  able  to  pass  to  the  first  heaven  directly  after 
death.  If  in  this  manner,  we  consciously  overcome  our 
weaknesses,  we  also  make  a  very  material  advance  in  the 
school  of  evolution.  Even  if  we  fail  to  correct  our  actions, 
we  derive  an  immense  benefit  from  judging  ourselves, 
thereby  generating  aspirations  toward  good,  which  in  time 
will  surely  bear  fruit  in  right  action. 

In  reviewing  the  day's  happenings  and  blaming  our- 
selves for  wrong,  we  should  not  forget  to  impersonally 
approve  of  the  good  we  have  done  and  determine  to  do 
still  better.  In  this  way  we  enhance  the  good  by  approval 
as  much  as  we  abjure  the  evil  by  blame. 

Repentance  and  reform  are  also  powerful  factors  in 
shortening  the  purgatorial  existence,  for  nature  never 
wastes  effort  in  useless  processes.  When  we  realize  the 
wrong  of  certain  habits  or  acts  in  our  past  life,  and 
determine  to  eradicate  the  habit  and  to  redress  the  wrong 
committed,  we  are  expunging  the  pictures  of  them  from 
the  sub-conscious  memory  and  they  will  not  be  there  to 
judge  us  after  death.  Even  though  we  are  not  able  to 


KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

make  restitution  for  a  wrong,  the  sincerity  of  our  regret 
will  suffice.  Nature  does  not  aim  to  "get  even/'  or  to 
take  revenge.  Eecompense  may  be  given  to  our  victim  in 
other  ways. 

Much  progress  ordinarily  reserved  for  future  lives  will 
be  made  by  the  man  who  thus  takes  time  by  the  forelock, 
judging  himself  and  eradicating  vice  by  reforming  his 
character.  This  practice  is  earnestly  recommended.  It 
is  perhaps  the  most  important  teaching  in  the  present 
work. 

THE  BORDERLAND. 

Purgatory  occupies  the  three  lower  Regions  of  the  De- 
sire World.  The  first  heaven  is  in  the  three  upper  Re- 
gions. The  central  Region  is  a  sort  of  borderland — 
neither  heaven  nor  hell.  In  this  Region  we  find  people 
who  are  honest  and  upright;  who  wronged  no  one,  but 
were  deeply  immersed  in  business  and  thought  nothing  of 
the  higher  life.  For  them  the  Desire  World  is  a  state  of 
the  most  indescribable  monotony.  There  is  no  "business" 
in  that  world  nor  is  there,  for  a  man  of  that  kind,  any- 
thing that  will  take  its  place.  He  has  a  very  hard  time 
until  he  learns  to  think  of  higher  things  than  ledgers  and 
drafts.  The  men  who  thought  of  the  problem  of  life  and 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  "death  ends  it  all;"  who  de- 
nied the  existence  of  things  outside  the  material-sense 
world — these  men  also  feel  this  dreadful  monotony.  They 
had  expected  annihilation  of  consciousness,  but  instead  of 
that  they  find  themselves  with  an  augmented  perception 
of  persons  and  things  about  them.  They  had  been  ac- 
customed to  denying  these  things  so  vehemently  that  they 
often  fancy  the  Desire  World  an  hallucination,  and  may 
frequently  be  heard  exclaiming  in  the  deepest  despair, 
"When  will  it  end?  When  will  it  end?" 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION          113 

Such  people  are  really  in  a  pitiable  state.  They  are 
generally  beyond  the  reach  of  any  help  whatever  and  suf- 
fer much  longer  than  almost  anyone  else.  Besides,  they 
have  scarcely  any  life  in  the  Heaven  World,  where  the 
building  of  bodies  for  future  use  is  taught,  so  they  put 
all  their  crystallizing  thoughts  into  whatsoever  body  they 
build  for  a  future  life,  and  thus  a  body  is  built  that  has 
the  hardening  tendencies  we  see,  for  instance,  in  consump- 
tion. Sometimes  the  suffering  incident  to  such  decrepit 
bodies  will  turn  the  thoughts  of  the  entities  ensouling 
them  to  God,  and  their  evolution  can  proceed;  but  in  the 
materialistic  mind  lies  the  greatest  danger  of  losing  touch 
with  the  spirit  and  becoming  an  outcast.  Therefore  the 
Elder  Brothers  have  been  very  seriously  concerned  for 
the  last  century  regarding  the  fate  of  the  Western  World 
and  were  it  not  for  their  special  beneficent  action  in 
its  behalf,  we  should  have  had  a  social  cataclysm  com- 
pared with  which  the  French  Revolution  were  child's 
play.  The  trained  clairvoyant  can  see  how  narrowly 
humanity  has  escaped  disasters  of  a  nature  so  devastat- 
ing that  continents  would  have  been  swept  into  the  sea. 
The  reader  will  find  a  more  extended  and  thorough  exposi- 
tion of  the  connection  of  materialism  with  volcanic  out- 
bursts in  Chapter  XVIII,  where  the  list  of  the  eruptions  of 
Vesuvius  would  seem  to  corroborate  the  statement  of  such 
a  connection,  unless  it  is  credited  to  "coincidence,"  as  the 
sceptic  generally  does  when  confronted  with  facts  and 
figures  he  cannot  explain. 

THE  FIRST  HEAVEN. 

When  the  purgatorial  existence  is  over  the  purified 
spirit  rises  into  the  first  heaven,  which  is  located  in  the 
three  highest  Regions  of  the  Desire  World,  where  the  re- 


114  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

suits  of  its  sufferings  are  incorporated  in  the  seed-atom  of 
the  desire  body,  thus  imparting  to  it  the  quality  of  right 
feeling,  which  acts  as  an  impulse  to  good  and  a  deterrent 
from  evil  in  the  future.  Here  the  panorama  of  the  past 
again  unrolls  itself  backward,  but  this  time  it  is  the  good 
acts  of  life  that  are  the  basis  of  feeling.  When  we  come 
to  scenes  where  we  helped  others  we  realize  anew  all  the 
joy  of  helping  which  was  ours  at  the  time,  and  in  addition 
we  feel  all  the  gratitude  poured  out  to  us  by  the  recipient 
of  our  help.  When  we  come  to  scenes  where  we  were 
helped  by  others,  we  again  feel  all  the  gratitude  that  we 
then  felt  toward  our  benefactor.  Thus  we  see  the  impor- 
tance of  appreciating  the  favors  shown  us  by  others,  be- 
cause gratitude  makes  for  soul-growth.  Our  happiness  in 
heaven  depends  upon  the  joy  we  gave  others,  and  the 
valuation  we  placed  upon  what  others  did  for  us. 

It  should  be  ever  borne  in  mind  that  the  power  of  giv- 
ing is  not  vested  chiefly  in  the  monied  man.  Indiscrimi- 
nate giving  of  money  may  even  be  an  evil.  It  is  well  to 
give  money  for  a  purpose  we  are  convinced  is  good,  but 
service  is  a  thousandfold  better.  As  Whitman  says, 

Behold!     I  do  not  give  lectures,  or  a  little  charity; 
When  I  give,  I  give  myself. 

A  kind  look,  expressions  of  confidence,  a  sympathetic  and 
loving  helpfulness — these  can  be  given  by  all  regard- 
less of  wealth.  Moreover.,  we  should  particularly  endeavor 
to  help  the  needy  one  to  help  himself,  whether  physically, 
financially,  morally,  or  mentally,  and  not  cause  him  to  be- 
come dependent  upon  us  or  others. 

The  ethics  of  giving,  with  the  effect  on  the  giver  as  a 
spiritual  lesson,  are  most  beautifully  shown  in  Lowell's 
"The  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal."  The  young  and  ambitious 


MAX  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    H5 

knight,  Sir  Launfal,  clad  in  shining  armor  and  astride  a 
splendid  charger,  is  setting  out  from  his  castle  to  seek 
The  Holy  Grail.  On  his  shield  gleams  the  cross,  the  sym- 
bol of  the  benignity  and  tenderness  of  Our  Savior,  the 
meek  and  lowly  One,  but  the  knight's  heart  is  filled  with 
pride  and  haughty  disdain  for  the  poor  and  needy.  He 
meets  a  leper  asking  alms  and  with  a  contemptuous  frown 
throws  him  a  coin,  as  one  might  cast  a  bone  to  a  hungry 
cur,  but 

The  leper  raised  not  the  gold  from  the  dust, 

"Better  to  me  the  poor  man's  crust, 

Better  the  blessing  of  the  poor, 

Though  I  turn  empty  from  his  door. 

That  is  no  true  alms  which  the  hand  can  hold; 

He  gives  only  the  worthless  gold 

Who  gives  from  a  sense  of  duty; 

But  he  who  gives  from  a  slender  mite, 

And  gives  to  that  which  is  out  of  sight — 

That  thread  of  all-sustaining  Beauty 

Which  rung  through  all  and  doth  all  unite, — 

The  hand  cannot  clasp  the  whole  of  his  alms, 

The  heart  outstretches  its  eager  palms, 

For  a  god  goes  with  it  and  makes  it  store 

To  the  soul  that  was  starving  in  darkness  before. 

On  his  return  Sir  Launfal  finds  another  in  possession 
of  his  castle,  and  is  driven  from  the  gate. 

An  old  bent  man,  worn  out  and  frail, 

He  came  back  from  seeking  the  Holy  Grail; 

Little  he  recked  of  his  earldom's  loss, 

No  more  on  his  surcoat  was  blazoned  the  cross, 

But  deep  in  his  heart  the  sign  he  wore, 

The  badge  of  the  suffering  and  the  poor. 

Again  he  meets  the  leper,  who  again  asks  alms.     This 
time  the  knight  responds  differently. 

And  Sir  Launfal  said:     "I  behold  in  thee 

An  image  of  Him  Who  died  on  the  tree; 

Thou  also  hast  had  thy  crown  of  thorns, 

Thou  also  hast  had  the  world's  buffets  and  scorns, 


116  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

And  to  thy  life  were  not  denied 
The  wounds  in  the  hands  and  feet  and  side; 
Mild  Mary's  Son,  acknowledge  me; 
Behold,  through  him  I  give  to  Thee ! ' ' 

A  look  in  the  leper's  eye  brings  remembrance  and  recog- 
nition, and 

The  heart  within  him  was  ashes  and  dust; 
He  parted  in  twain  his  single  crust, 
He  broke  the  ice  on  the  streamlet 's  brink, 
And  gave  the  leper  to  eat  and  drink. 

A  transformation  takes  place: 

The  leper  no  longer  crouched  by  his  side, 
But  stood  before  him  glorified, 

And  the  Voice  that  was  softer  than  silence  said,  « 

"Lo,  it  is  I,  be  not  afraid! 

In  many  lands,  without  avail, 

Thou  hast  spent  thy  life  for  the  Holy  Grail; 

Behold,  it  is  here! — This  cup  which  thou 

Did'st  fill  at  the  streamlet  for  me  but  now; 

This  crust  is  my  body  broken  for  thee, 

This  water  the  blood  I  shed  on  the  tree ; 

The  Holy  Supper  is  kept,  indeed, 

In  whatso  we  share  with  another's  need; 

Not  what  we  give,  but  what  we  share — 

For  the  gift  without  the  giver  is  bare ; 

Who  gives  himself  with  his  alms  feeds  three — 

Himself,  his  hungering  neighbor,  and  me." 

The  first  heaven  is  a  place  of  joy  without  a  single  drop 
of  bitterness.  The  spirit  is  beyond  the  influence  of  the 
material,  earthly  conditions,  and  assimilates  all  the  good 
contained  in  the  past  life  as  it  lives  it  over  again.  Here 
all  ennobling  pursuits  to  which  the  man  aspired  are  realized 
in  fullest  measure.  It  is  a  place  of  rest,  and  the  harder 
has  been  the  life,  the  more  keenly  will  the  rest  be  enjoyed. 
Sickness,  sorrow,  and  pain  are  unknown  quantities.  This 
is  the  Summerland  of  the  Spirtualists.  There  the  thoughts 
of  the  devout  Christian  have  built  the  New  Jerusalem. 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    H7 

Beautiful  houses,  flowers,  etc.,  are  the  portion  of  those 
who  aspired  to  them;  they  build  them  themselves  by 
thought  from  the  subtle  desire  stuff.  Nevertheless  these 
things  are  just  as  real  and  tangible  to  them  as  our  material 
houses  are  to  us.  All  gain  here  the  satisfaction  which 
earth  life  lacked  for  them. 

There  is  one  class  there  who  lead  a  particularly  beauti- 
ful life — the  children.  If  we  could  but  see  them  we  would 
quickly  cease  our  grief.  When  a  child  dies  before  the  birth 
of  the  desire  body,  which  takes  place  about  the  fourteenth 
year,  it  does  not  go  any  higher  than  the  first  heaven,  be- 
cause it  is  not  responsible  for  its  actions,  any  more  than 
the  unborn  child  is  responsible  for  the  pain  it  causes  the 
mother  by  turning  and  twisting  in  her  womb.  Therefore 
the  child  has  no  purgatorial  existence.  That  which  is  not 
quickened  cannot  die,  hence  the  desire  body  of  a  child, 
together  with  the  mind,  will  persist  until  a  new  birth,  and 
for  that  reason  such  children  are  very  apt  to  remember 
their  previous  incarnation,  as  instanced  in  the  case  cited 
elsewhere. 

For  such  children  the  first  heaven  is  a  waiting-place 
where  they  dwell  from  one  to  twenty  years,  until  an  oppor- 
tunity for  a  new  incarnation  is  offered.  Yet  it  is  more 
than  simply  a  waiting-place,  because  there  is  much  prog- 
ress made  during  this  interim. 

When  a  child  dies  there  is  always  some  relative  await- 
ing it,  or,  failing  that,  there  are  people  who  loved  to 
"mother"  children  in  earth  life  who  find  delight  in  taking 
care  of  a  little  waif.  The  extreme  plasticity  of  the  desire 
stuff  makes  it  easy  to  form  the  most  exquisite  living  toys 
for  the  children,  and  their  life  is  one  beautiful  play; 
nevertheless  their  instruction  is  not  neglected.  They  are 
formed  into  classes  according  to  their  temperaments,  but 


118  EOST.CRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

quite  regardless  of  age.  In  the  Desire  World  it  is  easy 
to  give  object-lessons  in  the  influence  of  good  and  oil 
passions  on  conduct  and  happiness.  These  lessons  are 
indelibly  imprinted  upon  the  child's  sensitive  and  emo- 
tional desire  body,  and  remain  with  it  after  rebirth,  so 
that  many  a  one  living  a  noble  life  owes  much  of  it  to  the 
fact  that  he  was  given  this  training.  Often  when  a  weak 
spirit  is  born,  the  Compassionate  Ones  (the  invisible  Lead- 
ers who  guide  our  evolution)  cause  it  to  die  in  early  life 
that  it  may  have  this  extra  training  to  fit  it  for  what  may 
be  perhaps  a  hard  life.  This  seems  to  be  the  case  particu- 
larly where  the  etching  on  the  desire  body  was  weak  in 
consequence  of  a  dying  person  having  been  disturbed  by 
the  lamentations  of  his  relatives,  or  because  he  met  death 
by  accident  or  on  the  battle-field.  He  did  not  under  those 
circumstances  experience  the  appropriate  intensity  of  feel- 
ing in  his  post  mortem  existence,  therefore,  when  he  is 
born  and  dies  in  early  life,  the  loss  is  made  up  as  above. 
Often  the  duty  of  caring  for  such  a  child  in  the  heaven  life 
falls  to  those  who  were  the  cause  of  the  anomaly.  They 
are  thus  afforded  a  chance  to  make  up  for  the  fault  and  to 
learn  better.  Or  perhaps  they  become  the  parents  of  the 
one  they  harmed  and  care  for  it  during  the  few  years  it 
lives.  It  does  not  matter  then  if  they  do  lament  hysteric- 
ally over  its  death,  because  there  would  be  no  pictures  of 
any  consequence  in  a  child's  vital  body. 

This  heaven  is  also  a  place  of  progression  for  all  who 
have  been  studious,  artistic,  or  altruistic.  The  student 
and  the  philosopher  have  instant  access  to  all  the  libraries 
of  the  world.  The  painter  has  endless  delight  in  the  ever- 
changing  color  combinations.  He  soon  learns  that  his 
thought  blends  and  shapes  these  colors  at  will.  His  crea- 
tions glow  and  scintillate  with  a  life  impossible  of  attain- 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    H9 

ment  to  one  who  works  with  the  dull  pigments  of  Earth. 
He  is,  as  it  were,  painting  with  living,  glowing  materials 
and  able  to  execute  his  designs  with  a  facility  which  fills 
his  soul  with  delight.  The  musician  has  not  yet  reached 
the  place  where  his  art  will  express  itself  to  the  fullest 
extent.  The  Physical  World  is  the  world  of  Form.  The 
Desire  World,  where  we  find  purgatory  and  the  first 
heaven,  is  particularly  the  world  of  Color;  but  the  World 
of  Thought,  where  the  second  and  third  heavens  are  located, 
is  the  sphere  of  Tone.  Celestial  music  is  a  fact  and  not  a 
mere  figure  of  speech.  Pythagoras  was  not  romancing 
when  he  spoke  of  the  music  of  the  spheres,  for  each  one  of 
the  heavenly  orbs  has  its  definite  tone  and  together  they 
sound  the  celestial  symphony  which  Goethe  also  mentions 
in  the  prolog  to  his  "Faust,"  where  the  scene  is  laid  in 
heaven.  The  Archangel  Raphael  says, 

The  Sun  intones  his  ancient  song 

'Mid  rival  chant  of  brother  spheres. 
His  prescribed  course  he  speeds  along 

In  thund'rous  way  throughout  the  years. 

Echoes  of  that  heavenly  music  reach  us  even  here  in 
the  Physical  World.  They  are  our  most  precious  posses- 
sion, even  though  they  are  as  elusive  as  a  will-o'-the-wisp, 
and  cannot  be  permanently  created,  as  can  other  works 
of  art — a  statue,  a  painting,  or  a  book.  In  the  Physical 
World  tone  dies  and  vanishes  the  moment  after  it  is  born. 
In  the  first  heaven  these  echoes  are,  of  course,  much  more 
beautiful  and  have  more  permanency,  hence  there  the  musi- 
cian hears  sweeter  strains  than  ever  he  did  during  earth 
life. 

The  experiences  of  the  poet  are  akin  to  those  of  the 
musician,  for  poetry  is  the  soul's  expression  of  its  inner- 
most feelings  in  words  which  are  ordered  according  to  the 


120  KOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

same  laws  of  harmony  and  rhythm  that  govern  the  out- 
pouring of  the  spirit  in  music.  In  addition,  the  poet 
finds  a  wonderful  inspiration  in  the  pictures  and  colors 
which  are  the  chief  characteristics  of  the  Desire  World. 
Thence  he  will  draw  the  material  for  use  in  his  next  in- 
carnation. In  like  manner  does  the  author  accumulate 
material  and  faculty.  The  philanthropist  works  out  his 
altruistic  plans  for  the  upliftment  of  man.  If  he  failed  in 
one  life,  he  will  see  the  reason  for  it  in  the  first  heaven 
and  will  there  learn  how  to  overcome  the  obstacles  and 
avoid  the  errors  that  made  his  plan  impracticable. 

In  time  a  point  is  reached  where  the  result  of  the  pain 
and  suffering  incident  to  purgation,,  together  with  the  joy 
extracted  from  the  good  actions  of  the  past  life,  have  been 
built  into  the  seed-atom  of  the  desire  body.  Together 
these  constitute  what  we  call  conscience,  that  impelling 
force  which  warns  us  against  evil  as  productive  of  pain 
and  inclines  us  toward  good  as  productive  of  happiness  and 
joy.  Then  man  leaves  his  desire  body  to  disintegrate,  as 
he  left  his  dense  body  and  vital  body.  He  takes  with  him 
the  forces  only  of  the  seed-atom,  which  are  to  form  the 
nucleus  of  future  desire  bodies,  as  it  was  the  persistent 
particle  of  his  past  vehicles  of  feeling. 

As  stated  above,  the  forces  of  the  seed-atom  are  with- 
drawn. To  the  materialist  force  and  matter  are  insepara- 
ble. The  occultist  knows  differently.  To  him  they  are 
not  two  entirely  distinct  and  separate  concepts,  but  the 
two  poles  of  the  one  spirit. 

Matter  is  crystallized  spirit. 

Force  is  the  same  spirit  not  yet  crystallized. 

This  has  been  said  before,  but  it  cannot  be  too  strongly 
impressed  upon  the  mind.  In  this  connection  the  illustra- 
tion of  the  snail  is  very  helpful.  Matter,  which  is  crys- 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    121 

tallized  spirit,  corresponds  to  the  snail's  house,  which  is 
crystallized  snail.  The  chemical  force  which  moves  mat- 
ter, making  it  available  for  the  building  of  form,  and 
the  snail  which  moves  its  house  are  also  good  correspond- 
ences. That  which  is  now  the  snail  will  in  time  become 
the  house,  and  that  which  is  now  force  will  in  time  become 
matter  when  it  has  crystallized  further.  The  reverse  process 
of  resolving  matter  back  into  spirit  is  also  going  on  con- 
tinually. The  coarser  phase  of  this  process  we  see  as  decay 
when  a  man  is  leaving  his  vehicles  behind  and  at  that  time 
the  spirit  of  an  atom  is  easily  detachable  from  the  coarser 
spirit  which  has  been  manifesting  as  matter. 

THE  SECOND  HEAVEN. 

At  last  the  man,  the  Ego,  the  threefold  spirit,  enters  the 
second  heaven.  He  is  clad  in  the  sheath  of  mind,  which 
contains  the  three  seed-atoms — the  quintessence  of  the 
three  discarded  vehicles. 

When  the  man  dies  and  loses  his  dense  and  vital  bodies 
there  is  the  same  condition  as  when  one  falls  asleep.  The 
desire  body,  as  has  been  explained,  had  no  organs  ready 
for  use.  It  is  now  transfoimed  from  an  ovoid  to  a  figure 
resembling  the  dense  body  which  has  been  abandoned. 
We  can  easily  understand  that  there  must  be  an  interval 
of  unconsciousness  resembling  sleep  and  then  the  man 
awakes  in  the  Desire  World.  It  not  unfrequently  happens, 
however,  that  such  people  are,  for  a  long  time,  unaware 
of  what  has  happened  to  them.  They  do  not  realize  that 
they  have  died.  They  know  that  they  are  able  to  move 
and  think.  It  is  sometimes  even  a  very  hard  matter  to 
get  them  to  believe  that  they  are  really  "dead."  They 
realize  that  something  is  different,  but  they  are  not  able 
to  understand  what  it  is. 


122  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

Not  so,  however,  when  the  change  is  made  from  the  first 
heaven,  which  is  in  the  Desire  World,  to  the  second  heaven, 
which  is  in  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought.  Then  the 
man  leaves  his  desire  body.  He  is  perfectly  conscious.  He 
passes  into  a  great  stillness.  For  the  time  being  every- 
thing seems  to  fade  away.  He  cannot  think.  No  faculty  is 
alive,  yet  he  knows  that  he  is.  He  has  a  feeling  of  stand- 
ing in  "The  Great  Forever;"  of  standing  utterly  alone,  yet 
unafraid;  and  his  soul  is  filled  with  a  wonderful  peace, 
"which  passeth  all  understanding." 

In  occult  science  this  is  called  "The  Great  Silence." 

Then  comes  the  awakening.  The  spirit  is  now  in  its 
home-World — heaven.  Here  the  first  awakening  brings  to 
the  spirit  the  sound  of  "the  music  of  the  spheres."  In 
our  Earth  life  we  are  so  immersed  in  the  little  noises  and 
sounds  of  our  limited  environment  that  we  are  incapable 
of  hearing  the  music  of  the  marching  orbs,  but  the  occult 
scientist  hears  it.  He  knows  that  the  twelve  signs  of  the 
Zodiac  and  the  seven  planets  form  the  sounding-board  and 
strings  of  "Apollo's  seven-stringed  lyre."  He  knows  that 
were  a  single  discord  to  mar  the  celestial  harmony  from 
that  grand  Instrument  there  would  be  "a  wreck  of  matter 
and  a  crash  of  worlds." 

The  power  of  rhythmic  vibration  is  well-known  to  all 
who  have  given  the  subject  even  the  least  study.  For 
instance,  soldiers  are  commanded  to  break  step  when  cross- 
ing a  bridge,  otherwise  their  rhythmic  tramp  would  shatter 
the  strongest  structure.  The  Bible  story  of  the  sounding 
of  the  ram's  horn  while  marching  around  the  walls  of  the 
city  of  Jericho  is  not  nonsensical  in  the  eyes  of  the  occult- 
ist. In  some  cases  similar  things  have  happened  without 
the  world  smiling  in  supercilious  incredulity.  A  few  years 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    133 

ago,  a  band  of  musicians  were  practicing  in  a  garden 
close  to  the  very  solid  wall  of  an  old  castle.  There  oc- 
curred at  a  certain  place  in  the  music  a  prolonged  and  very 
piercing  tone.  When  this  note  was  sounded  the  wall  of 
the  castle  suddenly  fell.  The  musicians  had  struck  the  key- 
note of  the  wall  and  it  was  sufficiently  prolonged  to 
shatter  it. 

When  it  is  said  that  this  is  the  world  of  tone,  it  must 
not  be  thought  that  there  are  no  colors.  Many  people 
know  that  there  is  an  intimate  connection  between  color 
and  tone;  that  when  a  certain  note  is  struck,  a  certain  color 
appears  simultaneously.  So  it  is  also  in  the  Heaven  World. 
Color  and  sound  are  both  present;  but  the  tone  is  the 
originator  of  the  color.  Hence  it  is  said,  that  this  is  par- 
ticularly the  world  of  tone,  and  it  is  this  tone  that  builds 
all  forms  in  the  Physical  World.  The  musician  can  hear 
certain  tones  in  different  parts  of  nature,  such  as  the  wind 
in  the  forest,  the  breaking  of  the  surf  on  the  beach,  the 
roar  of  the  ocean  and  the  sounding  of  many  waters.  These 
combined  tones  make  a  whole  which  is  the  key-note  of  the 
Earth — its  "tone."  As  geometrical  figures  are  created  by 
drawing  a  violin  bow  over  the  edge  of  a  glass  plate,  so  the 
forms  we  see  around  us  are  the  crystallized  sound-figures 
of  the  archetypal  forces  which  play  into  the  archetypes  in 
the  Heaven  World. 

The  work  done  by  man  in  the  Heaven  World  is  many- 
sided.  It  is  not  in  the  least  an  inactive,  dreamy  nor 
illusory  existence.  It  is  a  time  of  the  greatest  and  most 
important  activity  in  preparing  for  the  next  life,  as  sleep  is 
an  active  preparation  for  the  work  of  the  following  day. 

Here  the  quintessence  of  the  three  bodies  is  built  into 
the  threefold  spirit.  As  much  of  the  desire  body  as  the 
man  had  worked  upon  during  life,  by  purifying  his  desires 


124  BOSTCBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

and  emotions,  will  be  welded  into  the  human  spirit,  thus 
giving  an  improved  mind  in  the  future. 

As  much  of  the  vital  body  as  the  life  spirit  had  worked 
upon,  transformed,  spiritualized,  and  thus  saved  from  the 
decay  to  which  the  rest  of  the  vital  body  is  subject,  will 
be  amalgamated  with  the  life  spirit  to  insure  a  better  vital 
body  and  temperament  in  the  succeeding  lives. 

As  much  of  the  dense  body  as  the  divine  spirit  has 
saved  by  right  action  will  be  worked  into  it  and  will  bring 
better  environment  and  opportunities. 

This  spiritualization  of  the  vehicle  is  accomplished  by 
cultivation  of  the  faculties  of  observation,  discrimination 
and  memory,  devotion  to  high  ideals,  prayer,  concentra- 
tion, persistence  and  right  use  of  the  life  forces. 

The  second  heaven  is  the  real  home  of  man — the  Ego, 
the  Thinker.  Here  he  dwells  for  centuries,  assimilating  the 
fruit  of  the  last  earth  life  and  preparing  the  earthly  con- 
ditions which  will  be  best  suited  for  his  next  step  in  prog- 
ress. The  sound  or  tone  which  pervades  this  Region,  and  is 
everywhere  apparent  as  color,  is  his  instrument,  so  to  speak. 
It  is  this  harmonious  sound  vibration  which,  as  an  elixir 
of  life,  builds  into  the  threefold  spirit  the  quintessence  of 
the  threefold  body,  upon  which  it  depends  for  growth. 

The  life  in  the  second  heaven  is  an  exceedingly  active 
one,  varied  in  many  different  ways.  The  Ego  assimilates 
the  fruits  of  the  last  earth  life  and  prepares  the  environ- 
ment for  a  new  physical  existence.  It  is  not  enough  to 
say  that  the  new  conditions  will  be  determined  by  con- 
duct and  action  in  the  life  just  closed.  It  is  required  that 
the  fruits  of  the  past  be  worked  into  the  World  which  is 
to  be  the  next  scene  of  activity  while  the  Ego  is  gaining 
fresh  physical  experiences  and  gathering  further  fruit. 
Therefore  all  the  denizens  of  the  Heaven  World  work  upon 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    125 

:he  models  of  the  Earth,  all  of  which  are  in  the  Region 
of  Concrete  Thought.  They  alter  the  physical  features  of 
the  Earth,  and  bring  about  the  gradual  changes  which  vary 
its  appearance,  so  that  on  each  return  to  physical  life  a 
different  environment  has  been  prepared,  wherein  new 
experiences  may  be  gained.  Climate,  flora,  and  fauna  are 
altered  by  man  under  the  direction  of  higher  Beings,  to 
be  described  later.  Thus  the  world  is  just  what  we  our- 
selves, individually  and  collectively,  have  made  it;  and  it 
will  be  what  we  make  it.  The  occult  scientist  sees  in  every- 
thing that  happens  a  cause  of  a  spiritual  nature  manifest- 
ing itself,  not  omitting  the  prevalence  and  alarmingly  in- 
creasing frequency  of  seismic  disturbances,  which  it  traces 
to  the  materialistic  thought  of  modern  science. 

It  is  true  that  purely  physical  causes  can  bring  about 
such  disturbances,  but  is  that  the  last  word  on  the  subject? 
Can  we  always  get  the  full  explanation  by  merely  record- 
ing what  appears  on  the  surface?  Surely  not!  We  see 
two  men  conversing  on  the  street  and  one  suddenly  strikes 
the  other,  knocking  him  down.  One  observer  may  say 
that  an  angry  thought  knocked  the  man  down.  Another 
may  scoff  at  this  answer  and  declare  that  he  saw  the  arm 
lifted,  the  muscles  contract,  the  arm  shooting  out  and  com- 
ing in  contact  with  the  victim,  who  was  knocked  down. 
That  is  also  true,  but  it  is  safe  to  say  that  had  there  not 
first  been  the  angry  thought,  the  blow  would  not  have  been 
struck.  In  like  manner  the  occultist  says  that  if  material- 
ism had  not  been,  seismic  disturbances  would  not  have 
occurred. 

Man's  work  in  the  Heaven  World  is  not  confined  solely 
to  the  alteration  of  the  surface  of  the  Earth  which  is  to 
be  the  scene  of  his  future  struggles  in  the  subjugation  of 
the  Physical  World.  He  is  also  actively  engaged  in  learn- 


126  BOSICHUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

ing  how  to  build  a  body  which  shall  afford  a  better  means  of 
expression.  It  is  man's  destiny  to  become  a  Creative  In- 
telligence and  he  is  serving  his  apprenticeship  all  the  time. 
During  his  heaven  life  he  is  learning  to  build  all  kinds  of 
bodies — the  human  included. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  forces  which  work  along  the 
positive  and  negative  poles  of  the  different  ethers.  Man 
himself  is  part  of  that  force.  Those  whom  we  call  dead 
are  the  ones  who  help  us  to  live.  They  in  turn  are  helped 
by  the  so-called  "nature  spirits,"  which  they  command. 
Man  is  directed  in  this  work  by  Teachers  from  the  higher 
creative  Hierarchies,  which  helped  him  to  build  his  vehicles 
before  he  attained  self-consciousness,  in  the  same  way  he 
himself  now  builds  his  bodies  in  sleep.  During  heaven 
life  they  teach  him  consciously.  The  painter  is  taught  to 
build  an  accurate  eye,  capable  of  taking  in  a  perfect  per- 
spective and  of  distinguishing  colors  and  shades  to  a 
degree  inconceivable  among  those  not  interested  in  coloi 
and  light. 

The  mathematician  has  to  deal  with  space,  and  the 
faculty  for  space  perception  is  connected  with  the  delicate 
adjustment  of  the  three  semi-circular  canals  which  are 
situated  inside  the  ear,  each  pointing  in  one  of  the  three 
dimensions  in  space.  Logical  thought  and  mathematical 
ability  are  in  proportion  to  the  accuracy  of  the  adjustment 
of  these  semi-circular  canals.  Musical  ability  is  also  de- 
pendent upon  the  same  factor,  but  in  addition  to  the  neces- 
sity for  the  proper  adjustment  of  the  semi-circular  canals, 
the  musician  requires  extreme  delicacy  of  the  "fibres  of 
Corti,"  of  which  there  are  about  three  thousand  in  the 
human  ear,  each  capable  of  interpreting  about  twenty-five 
gradations  of  tone.  In  the  ears  of  the  majority  of  people 
they  do  not  respond  to  more  than  from  three  to  ten  of 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    197 

the  possible  iiradations.  Among  ordinary  musical  people 
the  greatest  degree  of  efficiency  is  about  fifteen  sounds  to 
each  fibre;  but  the  master  musician,  who  is  able  to  inter- 
pret and  bring  down  music  from  the  Heaven  World,  re- 
quires a  greater  range  to  be  able  to  distinguish  the  differ- 
ent notes  and  detect  the  slightest  discord  in  the  most  com- 
plicated chords.  Persons  who  require  organs  of  such  ex- 
ceeding delicacy  for  the  expression  of  their  faculties  are 
specially  taken  care  of,  as  the  higher  state  of  their  devel- 
opment merits  and  demands.  Xone  other  ranks  so  high 
as  the  musician,  which  is  reasonable  when  we  consider 
that  while  the  painter  draws  his  inspiration  chiefly  from 
the  world  of  color — the  nearer  Desire  World — the  musician 
attempts  to  bring  to  us  the  atmosphere  of  our  heavenly 
home  world  (where,  as  spirits,  we  are  citizens),  and  to 
translate  them  into  the  sounds  of  earth  life.  His  is  the 
highest  mission,  because  as  a  mode  of  expression  for  soul 
life,  music  reigns  supreme.  That  music  is  different  from 
and  higher  than  all  the  other  arts  can  be  understood  when 
we  reflect  that  a  statue  or  a  painting,  when  once  created, 
is  permanent.  They  are  drawn  from  the  Desire  World 
and  are  therefore  more  easily  crystallized,  while  music, 
being  of  the  Heaven  World,  is  more  elusive  and  must  be 
re-created  each  time  we  hear  it.  It  cannot  be  imprisoned, 
as  shown  by  the  unsuccessful  attempts  to  do  so  partially 
by  means  of  such  mechanical  devices  as  phonographs  and 
piano-players.  The  music  so  reproduced  loses  much  of  the 
soul-stirring  sweetness  it  possesses  when  it  comes  fresh 
from  its  own  world,  carrying  to  the  soul  memories  of  its 
home  and  speaking  to  it  in  a  language  that  no  beauty 
expressed  in  marble  or  upon  canvas  can  equal. 

The  instrument  through  which  man  senses  music  is  the 
most  perfect  sense  organ  in  the  human  body.    The  eye  is 


128  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

not  by  any  means  true,  but  the  ear  is,  in  the  sense  that  it 
hears  every  sound  without  distortion,  while  the  eye  often 
distorts  what  it  sees. 

In  addition  to  the  musical  ear,  the  musician  must  also 
learn  to  build  a  long,  fine  hand  with  slender  fingers  and 
sensitive  nerves,  otherwise  he  would  not  be  able  to  repro- 
duce the  melodies  he  hears. 

It  is  a  law  of  nature  that  no  one  can  inhabit  a  more 
efficient  body  than  he  is  capable  of  building.  He  first 
learns  to  build  a  certain  grade  of  body  and  afterwards  he 
learns  to  live  in  it.  In  that  way  he  discovers  its  defects 
and  is  taught  how  to  remedy  them. 

All  men  work  unconsciously  at  the  building  of  their 
bodies  during  ante-natal  life  until  they  have  reached  the 
point  where  the  quintessence  of  former  bodies — which  they 
have  saved — is  to  be  built  in.  Then  they  work  consciously. 
It  will  therefore  be  seen  that  the  more  a  man  advances  and 
the  more  he  works  on  his  vehicles,  thus  making  them  im- 
mortal, the  more  power  he  has  to  build  for  a  new  life.  The 
advanced  pupil  of  an  occult  school  sometimes  commences 
to  build  for  himself  as  soon  as  the  work  during  the  first 
three  weeks  (which  belongs  exclusively  to  the  mother)  has 
been  completed.  When  the  period  of  unconscious  building 
has  passed  the  man  has  a  chance  to  exercise  his  nascent 
creative  power,  and  the  true  original  creative  process — 
"Epigenesis" — begins. 

Thus  we  see  that  man  learns  to  build  hie  vehicles  in  the 
Heaven  World,  and  to  use  them  in  the  Physical  World. 
Nature  provides  all  phases  of  experience  in  such  a  mar- 
velous manner  and  with  such  consummate  wisdom  that 
as  we  learn  to  see  deeper  and  deeper  into  her  secrets  we 
are  more  and  more  impressed  with  our  own  insignificance 
and  with  an  ever-growing  reverence  for  God,  whose  visi- 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    129 

ble  symbol  nature  is.  The  more  we  learn  of  her  wonders, 
the  more  we  realize  that  this  world  system  is  not  the  vast 
perpetual  motion  machine  unthinking  people  would  have 
us  believe.  It  would  be  quite  as  logical  to  think  that  if 
we  toss  a  box  of  loose  type  into  the  air  the  characters  will 
have  arranged  themselves  into  the  words  of  a  beautiful 
poem  by  the  time  they  reach  the  ground.  The  greater  the 
complexity  of  the  plan  the  greater  the  argumental  weight 
in  favor  of  the  theory  of  an  intelligent  Divine  Author. 

THE  THIRD  HEAVEN. 

Having  assimilated  all  the  fruits  of  his  last  life  and 
altered  the  appearance  of  the  Earth  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
afford  him  the  necessary  environment  for  his  next  step 
towards  perfection;  having  also  learned  by  work  on  the 
bodies  of  others,  to  build  a  suitable  body  through  which  to 
express  himself  in  the  Physical  World  and  having  at  last 
resolved  the  mind  into  the  essence  which  builds  the  three- 
fold spirit,  the  naked  individual  spirit  ascends  into  the 
higher  Region  of  the  World  of  Thought — the  third  heaven. 
Here,  by  the  ineffable  harmony  of  this  higher  world,  it  is 
strengthened  for  its  next  dip  into  matter. 

After  a  time  comes  the  desire  for  new  experience  and 
the  contemplation  of  a  new  birth.  This  conjures  up  a 
series  of  pictures  before  the  vision  of  the  spirit — a  pano- 
rama of  the  new  life  in  store  for  it.  But,  mark  this  well — 
this  panorama  contains  only  the  principal  events.  The 
spirit  has  free  will  as  to  detail.  It  is  as  if  a  man  going  to  a 
distant  city  had  a  time-limit  ticket,  with  initial  choice  of 
route.  After  he  has  chosen  and  begun  his  journey  it  is  not 
sure  that  he  can  change  to  another  route  during  the  trip. 
He  may  stop  over  in  as  many  places  as  he  wishes,  within 
his  time  limit,  but  he  cannot  go  back.  Thus  as  he  proceeds 


130  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

on  his  journey,  he  becomes  more  and  more  limited  by  hi? 
past  choice.  If  he  has  chosen  a  steam  road,  using  soft  coal 
he  must  expect  to  be  soiled  and  dusty.  Had  he  chosen  a 
road  burning  anthracite  or  using  electricity  he  would  hare 
been  cleaner.  So  it  is  with  the  man  in  a  new  life.  He 
may  have  to  live  a  hard  life,  but  he  is  free  to  choose 
whether  he  will  live  it  cleanly  or  wallow  in  the  mire. 
Other  conditions  are  also  within  his  control,  subject  to  the 
limits  of  his  past  choices  and  acts. 

The  pictures  in  the  panorama  of  the  coming  life,  of 
which  we  have  just  spoken,  begin  at  the  cradle  and  end  at 
the  grave.  This  is  the  opposite  direction  to  that  in  which 
they  travel  in  the  after-death  panorama,  already  explained, 
which  passes  before  the  vision  of  the  spirit  immediately 
following  its  release  from  the  dense  body.  The  reason  for 
this  radical  difference  in  the  two  panoramas  is  that  in  the 
before-birth  panorama  the  object  is  to  show  the  reincar- 
nating Ego  how  certain  causes  or  acts  always  produce  cer- 
tain effects.  In  the  case  of  the  after-death  panorama  the 
object  is  the  reverse,  i.  e.,  to  show  how  each  event  in  the 
past  life  was  the  effect  of  some  cause  further  back  in  the 
life.  Nature,  or  God,  does  nothing  without  a  logical  rea- 
son, and  the  further  we  search  the  more  apparent  it  becomes 
to  us  that  Nature  is  a  wise  mother,  always  using  the  best 
means  to  accomplish  her  ends. 

But  it  may  be  asked,  Why  should  we  reincarnate?  Why 
must  we  return  to  this  limited  and  miserable  earth  exist- 
ence? Why  can  we  not  get  experience  in  those  higher 
realms  without  coming  to  Earth?  We  are  tired  of  this 
dreary,  weary  earth  life! 

Such  queries  are  based  upon  misunderstandings  of  sev- 
eral kinds.  In  the  first  place,  let  us  realize  and  engrave  it 
deep  upon  the  tablets  of  our  memory  that  the  purpose  of 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION          131 

life  is  not  happiness,  but  experience.  Sorrow  and  pain 
are  our  most  benevolent  teachers,  while  the  joys  of  life  are 
but  fleeting. 

This  seems  a  stern  doctrine  and  the  heart  cries  out  pas- 
sionately at  even  the  thought  that  it  may  possibly  be  true. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  true,  and  upon  examination  it  will  be 
found  not  such  a  stern  doctrine  after  all. 

Consider  the  blessings  of  pain.  If  we  could  place  our 
hand  upon  a  hot  stove  and  feel  no  pain,  the  hand  might  be 
allowed  to  remain  until  it  and  perhaps  the  arm  were 
burned  away,  without  our  knowing  anything  about  it  until 
too  late  to  save  them.  It  is  the  pain  resulting  from  the 
contact  with  the  hot  stove  which  makes  us  snatch  our 
hand  away  before  serious  damage  is  done.  Instead  of  los- 
ing the  hand,  we  escape  with  a  blister  which  quickly  heals. 
This  is  an  illustration  from  the  Physical  World.  We  find 
that  the  same  principle  applies  in  the  Moral  and  Mental 
Worlds.  If  we  outrage  morality  the  pangs  of  conscience 
bring  us  pain  that  will  prevent  us  from  repeating  the  act 
and  if  we  do  not  heed  the  first  lesson,  nature  will  give  us 
harder  and  harder  experiences  until  at  last  the  fact  is 
forced  into  our  consciousness  that  "the  way  of  the  trans- 
gressor is  hard."  This  will  continue  until  at  last  we  are 
forced  to  turn  in  a  new  direction  and  take  a  step  onward 
toward  a  better  life. 

Experience  is  "knowledge  of  the  causes  which  follow 
acts."  This  is  the  object  of  life,  together  with  the  devel- 
opment of  "Will,"  which  is  the  force  whereby  we  apply 
the  results  of  experience.  Experience  must  be  gained,  but 
we  have  the  choice  whether  we  gain  it  by  the  hard  path  of 
personal  experience  or  by  observation  of  other  people's  acts, 
reasoning  and  reflecting  thereon,  guided  by  the  light  of 
whatever  experience  we  have  already  had. 


132  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

This  is  the  method  by  which  the  occult  student  should 
learn,  instead  of  requiring  the  lash  of  adversity  and  pain. 
The  more  willing  we  are  to  learn  in  that  way,  the  less  we 
shall  feel  the  stinging  thorns  of  "the  path  of  pain"  and 
the  more  quickly  shall  we  gain  "the  path  of  peace." 

The  choice  is  ours,  but  so  long  as  we  have  not  learned 
all  there  is  to  learn  in  this  world,  we  must  come  back  to  it. 
We  cannot  stay  in  the  higher  worlds  and  learn  there  until 
we  have  mastered  the  lessons  of  earth  life.  That  would 
be  as  sensible  as  to  send  a  child  to  kindergarten  one  day 
and  to  college  the  next.  The  child  must  return  to  the  kin- 
dergarten day  after  day  and  spend  years  in  the  grammar 
school  and  the  high  school  before  its  study  has  developed 
its  capacity  sufficiently  to  enable  it  to  understand  the  les- 
sons taught  in  college. 

Man  is  also  in  school — the  school  of  experience.  He 
must  return  many  times  before  he  can  hope  to  master 
all  the  knowledge  in  the  world  of  sense.  No  one  earth 
life,  however  rich  in  experience,  could  furnish  the  knowl- 
edge, so  nature  decrees  that  he  must  return  to  Earth,  after 
intervals  of  rest,  to  take  up  his  work  where  he  dropped  it, 
exactly  as  a  child  takes  up  its  work  in  school  each  day, 
after  the  intervening  sleep  of  night.  It  is  no  argument 
against  this  theory  to  say  that  man  does  not  remember  his 
former  lives.  We  cannot  recall  all  the  events  of  our  pres- 
ent lives.  We  do  not  recollect  our  labors  in  learning  to 
write,  yet  we  have  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  art  of  writ- 
ing, which  proves  that  we  did  learn.  All  the  faculties  we 
possess  are  a  proof  that  we  acquired  them  sometime,  some- 
where. Some  people  do  remember  their  past,  however,  as. 
a  remarkable  instance  related  at  the  end  of  the  next  chap- 
ter will  show,  and  it  is  but  one  among  many. 

Again,  if  there  were  no  return  to  Earth,  what  is  the 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    133 

use  of  living?  Why  strive  for  anything?  Why  should  a 
life  of  happiness  in  an  eternal  heaven  be  the  reward  for  a 
good  life  ?  What  benefit  could  come  from  a  good  life  in  a 
heaven  where  everybody  is  already  happy?  Surely  in  a 
place  where  everybody  is  happy  and  contented  there  is  no 
need  for  sympathy,  self-sacrifice  or  wise  counsel!  No  one 
would  need  them  there;  but  on  Earth  there  are  many  who 
need  those  very  things  and  such  humanitarian  and  altru- 
istic qualities  are  of  the  greatest  service  to  struggling  hu- 
manity. Therefore  the  Great  Law,  which  works  for  Good, 
brings  man  back  to  work  again  in  the  world  for  the  benefit 
of  himself  and  others,  with  his  acquired  treasures,  instead 
of  letting  them  go  to  waste  irr  a  heaven  where  no  one 
needs  them. 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  REBIRTH. 

Having  thus  seen  the  necessity  for  repeated  embodiments, 
we  will  next  consider  the  method  by  which  this  purpose  is 
accomplished. 

Previous  to  taking  the  dip  into  matter,  the  threefold 
spirit  is  naked,  having  only  the  forces  of  the  four  seed- 
atoms  (which  are  the  nuclei  of  the  threefold  body  and  the 
sheath  of  mind).  Its  descent  resembles  the  putting  on  of 
several  pairs  of  gloves  of  increasing  thickness,  as  previ- 
ously illustrated.  The  forces  of  the  mind  of  the  last 
incarnation  are  awakened  from  their  latency  in  the  seed- 
atom.  This  begins  to  attract  to  itself  materials  from  the 
highest  subdivision  of  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought, 
in  a  manner  similar  to  that  in  which  a  magnet  draws  to 
itself  iron  filings. 

If  we  hold  a  magnet  over  a  miscellaneous  heap  of  filings 

'  of  brass,  silver,  gold,  iron,  lead  and  other  metals,  we  shall 

find  that  it  selects  only  iron  filings  and  that  even  of  them 


134  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

it  will  take  no  more  than  its  strength  enables  it  to  lift 
Its  attractive  power  is  of  a  certain  kind  and  is  limited  to  a 
certain  quantity  of  that  kind.  The  same  is  true  of  the 
seed-atom.  It  can  take,  in  each  Region,  nothing  except  the 
material  for  which  it  has  an  affinity  and  nothing  beyond  a 
certain  definite  quantity  even  of  that.  Thus  the  vehicle 
built  around  this  nucleus  becomes  an  exact  counterpart  of 
the  corresponding  vehicle  of  the  last  incarnation,  minus  the 
evil  which  has  been  expurgated  and  plus  the  quintessence 
of  good  which  has  been  incorporated  in  the  seed-atom. 

The  material  selected  by  the  threefold  spirit  forms  itself 
into  a  great  bell-shaped  figure,  open  at  the  bottom  and  with 
the  seed-atom  at  the  top.  If  we  conceive  of  this  illustration 
spiritually  we  may  compare  it  to  a  diving-bell  descending 
into  a  sea  composed  of  fluids  of  increasing  density.  These 
correspond  to  the  different  subdivisions  of  each  World. 
The  matter  taken  into  the  texture  of  the  bell-shaped  body 
makes  it  heavier,  so  that  it  sinks  into  the  next  lower  sub- 
division and  takes  from  that  its  proper  quota  of  matter. 
Thus  it  becomes  still  heavier  and  sinks  yet  deeper  until  it 
has  passed  through  the  four  subdivisions  of  the  Region  of 
Concrete  Thought  and  the  sheath  of  the  new  mind  of  the 
man  is  complete.  Next  the  forces  in  the  seed-atom  of  the 
desire  body  are  awakened.  It  places  itself  at  the  top  of  the 
bell,  inside,  and  the  materials  of  the  seventh  Region  of  the 
Desire  World  draw  around  it  until  it  sinks  to  the  sixth 
Region,  getting  more  material  there,  and  this  process  con- 
tinues until  the  first  Region  of  the  Desire  World  is  reached. 
The  bell  has  now  two  layers — the  sheath  of  mind  outside 
and  the  new  desire  body  inside. 

The  seed-atom  of  the  vital  body  is  next  aroused  into 
activity,  but  here  the  process  of  formation  is  not  so  simple  . 
as  in  the  case  of  the  mind  and  the  desire  body,  for  it  must 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OP  EVOLUTION         135 

be  remembered  that  those  vehicles  were  comparatively  un- 
organized, while  the  vital  body  and  the  dense  body  are 
more  organized  and  very  complicated.  The  material,  of  a 
given  quantity  and  quality,  is  attracted  in  the  same  man- 
ner and  under  the  operation  of  the  same  law  as  in  the  case 
of  the  higher  bodies,  but  the  building  of  the  new  body 
and  the  placement  in  the  proper  environment  is  done  by 
four  great  Beings  of  immeasurable  wisdom,  which  are  the 
Recording  Angels,  the  "Lords  of  Destiny."  They  impress 
the  reflecting  ether  of  the  vital  body  in  such  a  way  that  the 
pictures  o*  the  coming  life  are  reflected  in  it.  It  (the  vital 
body)  is  built  by  the  inhabitant  of  the  Heaven  World  and 
the  elemental  spirits  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a 
particular  type  of  brain.  But  mark  thi~  the  recincarnat- 
ing  Ego  itself  incorporates  therein  the  quintessence  of  its 
former  vital  bodies  and  in  addition  to  this  aho  does  a, 
little  original  work.  This  is  done  that  in  the  coming  life 
there  may  be  some  room  for  original  and  individual  expres- 
sion, not  predetermined  by  past  action. 

It  is  very  important  io  remember  this  fact.  There  is  too 
great  a  tendency  to  think  that  all  which  now  exists  is  the 
result  of  something  that  previously  existed,  but  if  that  were 
the  case  there  would  be  no  margin  left  for  new  and  original 
effort  and  for  new  causes.  The  chain  of  cause  and  effect  is 
not  a  monotonous  repetition.  There  is  an  influx  of  new 
and  original  causes  all  the  time.  That  is  the  real  back- 
bone of  evolution — the  only  thing  that  gives  it  meaning 
and  makes  it  other  than  an  unrolling  of  latent  actual? tie?. 
This  is  "Epigenesis" — the  free-will  that  consists  of  the 
freedom  to  inaugurate  something  entirely  new,  not  merely 
a  rhoi^p  between  two  courses  of  action.  This  is  the  impor- 
tant factor  which  alone  can  explain  the  system  to  which 
we  belong  in  satisfactory  manner.  Involution  and  Evolu- 


136  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

tion  in  themselves  are  insufficient;  but  coupled  with  Epi- 
genesis  we  have  a  full  triad  of  explanation. 

The  fate  of  an  individual  generated  under  the  law  of 
Consequence,  is  of  great  complexity  and  involves  associa- 
tion with  Egos  in  and  out  of  incarnation  at  all  times.  Even 
those  incarnated  at  one  time  may  not  be  living  in  the  same 
locality,  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  one  individual's  destiny 
to  be  all  worked  out  in  one  lifetime,  or  in  one  place.  The 
Ego  is  therefore  brought  into  a  certain  environment  and 
family  with  which  it  is  in  some  way  related.  As  regards 
the  fate  to  be  worked  out  it  is  sometimes  immaterial  into 
which  one  of  several  environments  the  Ego  is  incarnated, 
and  when  such  is  the  case,  it  is  allowed  its  choice  as  far  as 
possible,  but  once  an  Ego  is  so  placed,  the  agents  of  the 
Lords  of  Destiny  watch  unseen,  that  no  act  of  free-will 
shall  frustrate  the  working  out  of  the  portion  of  fate 
selected.  If  we  do  aught  of  such  a  nature  as  to  circumvent 
that  part,  they  will  make  another  move,  so  as  to  enforce 
fulfillment  of  the  destiny.  It  cannot  be  too  often  reiter- 
ated, however,  that  this  does  not  render  man  helpless.  It 
is  merely  the  same  law  that  governs  after  we  have  fired  a 
pistol.  We  are  then  unable  to  stop  the  bullet,  or  even  to 
deflect  it  from  its  course  in  any  way.  Its  direction  was 
determined  by  the  position  in  which  the  pistol  was  held 
when  we  fired.  That  could  have  been  changed  at  any 
time  before  the  trigger  was  pulled,  as  up  to  that  time  we 
had  full  control.  The  same  is  true  regarding  new  actions 
which  make  future  destiny.  We  may,  up  to  a  certain  point, 
modify  or  even  altogether  counteract  certain  causes  already 
set  in  motion,  but  once  started,  and  no  further  action 
taken,  they  will  some  time  get  beyond  our  control.  This  is 
called  "ripe"  fate  and  it  is  this  kind  that  is  meant  when 
it  is  said  that  the  Lords  of  Destiny  cfyeck  every  attempt  to 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    137 

shirk  it.  With  regard  to  our  past  we  are  to  a  great  extent 
helpless,  but  in  regard  to  future  action  we  have  full  con- 
trol, except  insofar  as  we  are  hampered  by  our  past  actions. 
By  and  by,  however,  as  we  learn  that  we  are  the  cause  of 
our  own  sorrow  or  joy,  we  shall  awake  to  the  necessity  of 
ordering  our  lives  more  in  harmony  with  the  laws  of  God 
and  thus  rise  above  these  laws  of  the  Physical  World. 
That  is  the  key  to  emancipation ;  as  Goethe  says : 

•    From  every  power  that  all  the  world  enchains 
Man  frees  himself  when  self-control  he  gains. 

The  vital  body,  having  been  molded  by  the  Lords  of 
Destiny,  will  give  form  to  the  dense  body,  organ  for  organ. 
This  matrix  or  mold  is  then  placed  in  the  womb  of  the 
future  mother.  The  seed-atom  for  the  dense  body  is  in 
the  triangular  head  of  one  of  the  spermatozoa  in  the  semen 
of  the  father.  This  alone  makes  fertilization  possible  and 
here  is  the  explanation  of  the  fact  that  so  many  times 
sex-unions  are  unfruitful.  The  chemical  constituents  of 
the  seminal  fluid  and  the  ovi  are  the  same  at  all  times  and 
were  these  the  only  requirements,  the  explanation  of  the 
phenomena  of  unfertility,  if  sought  in  the  material,  visible 
world  alone,  would  not  be  found.  It  becomes  plain,  how- 
ever, when  we  understand  that  as  the  molecules  of  water 
freeze  only  along  the  lines  of  force .  in  the  water  and 
manifest  as  ice  crystals  instead  of  freezing  into  a  homogen- 
eous mass,  as  would  be  the  case  if  there  were  no  lines  of 
force  previous  to  coagulation,  so  there  can.be  no  dense  body 
built  until  there  is  a  vital  body  in  which  to  build  the 
material ;  also  there  must  be  a  seed-atom  for  the ,  dense 
body,  to  act  as  gauge  of  the  quality  and  quantity  of  the 
matter  which  is  to  be  built  into  that  dense  bod}-.  Although 
at  the  present  stage  of  development  there  is  never  full  liar- 


138  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

moiiy  in  the  materials  of  the  body,  because  that  would  mean 
a  perfect  body,  yet  the  discord  must  not  be  so  great  as  to 
be  disruptive  of  the  organism. 

Thus  while  heredity  in  the  first  place  is  true  only  as 
regards  the  material  of  the  dense  body  and  not  the  soul 
qualities,  which  are  entirely  individual,  the  incoming  Ego 
also  does  a  certain  amount  of  work  on  its  dense  body,  in- 
corporating in  it  the  quintessence  of  its  past  physical  quali- 
ties. No  body  is  an  exact  mixture  of  the  qualities  of  its 
parents,  although  the  Ego  is  restricted  to  the  use  of  the 
materials  taken  from  the  bodies  of  the  father  and  mother. 
Hence  a  musician  incarnates  where  he  can  get  the  material 
to  build  the  slender  hand  and  the  delicate  ear,  with  its 
sensitive  fibres  of  Corti  and  its  accurate  adjustment  of  the 
three  semicircular  canals.  The  arrangement  of  these  mate- 
rials, however,  is,  to  the  extent  named,  under  the  control 
of  the  Ego.  It  is  as  though  a  carpenter  were  given  a  pile 
of  boards  to  use  in  building  a  house  in  which  to  live,  but 
is  left  to  his  own  judgment  as  to  the  kind  of  house  he 
wishes  to  build. 

Except  in  the  case  of  a  very  highly  developed  being, 
this  work  of  the  Ego  is  almost  negligible  at  the  present 
stage  of  man's  evolution.  The  greatest  scope  is  given  in 
the  building  of  the  desire  body,  very  little  in  that  of  the 
vital  body  and  almost  none  in  the  dense  body;  yet  even 
this  little  is  sufficient  to  make  each  individual  an  expres- 
sion of  his  own  spirit  and  different  from  the  parents. 

When  the  impregnation  of  the  ovum  has  taken  place, 
the  desire  body  of  the  mother  works  upon  it  for  a  period 
of  from  eighteen  to  twenty-one  days,  the  Ego  remaining 
outside  in  its  desire  body  and  mind  sheath,  yet  always  in 
close  touch  with  the  mother.  Upon  the  expiration  of  that 
time  the  Ego  enters  the  mother's  body.  The  bell-shaped 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION          139 

vehicles  draw  themselves  down  over  the  head  of  the  vital 
body  and  the  bell  closes  at  the  bottom.  From  thie  time 
the  Ego  broods  over  its  coining  instrument  until  the  birth 
of  the  child  and  the  new  earth  life  of  the  reincarnating 
Ego  commences. 

BIRTH  OF  THE  DENSE  BODY. 

The  vehicles  of  the  new-born  do  not  at  once  become 
active.  The  dense  body  is  helpless  for  a  long  time  after 
birth.  Reasoning  from  analogy  we  can  readily  see  that  the 
same  must  be  the  case  with  the  higher  vehicles.  The  occult 
scientist  sees  it,  but  even  without  clairvoyance  reason  will 
show  that  this  must  be  so.  As  the  dense  body  is  slowly 
prepared  for  the  separate,  individual  life  within  the  pro- 
tecting cover  of  the  womb,  so  the  other  bodies  are  gradu- 
ally born  and  nurtured  into  activity,  and  while  the  times 
given  in  the  following  description  are  but  approximate,  they 
are  nevertheless  accurate  enough  for  general  purposes  and 
show  the  connection  between  the  Microcosm  and  the  Macro- 
cosm— the  individual  and  the  world. 

In  the  period  immediately  following  birth  the  different 
vehicles  inter-penetrate  one  another,  as,  in  our  previous 
illustration,  the  sand  penetrates  the  sponge  and  the  water 
both  sand  and  sponge.  But,  though  they  are  all  present,  as 
in  adult  life,  they  are  merely  present.  None  of  their  posi- 
tive faculties  are  active.  The  vital  body  cannot  use  the 
forces  which  operate  along  the  positive  pole  of  the  ethers. 
Assimilation,  which  works  along  the  positive  pole  of  the 
chemical  ether,  is  very  dainty  during  childhood  and  what 
there  is  of  it  is  due  to  the  macrocosm  ic  vital  body,  the 
ethers  which  act  as  a  womb  for  the  child's  vital  body  until 
the  seventh  year,  gradually  ripening  it  during  that  period. 
The  propagative  faculty,  which  works  along  the  positive 


140  ROSTCEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

pole  of  the  life  ether,  is  also  lat€tat>  The  heating  of  the 
body — which  is  carried  on  along  the  positive  pole  of  the 
light  ether — and  the  circulation  of  the  blood  are  due  to 
the  macrocosraic  vital  body,  the  ethers  acting  on  the  child 
and  slowly  developing  it  to  the  point  where  it  can  control 
these  functions  itself.  The  forces  working  along  the  nega- 
tive pole  of  the  ethers  are  so  much  the  more  active.  The 
excretion  of  solids,  carried  on  along  the  negative  pole  of 
the  chemical  ether  ('corresponding  to  the  solid  subdivision 
of  the  Chemical  Region),  is  too  unrestrained,  as  is  also  the 
excretion  of  fluid,  which  is  carried  on  along  the  negative 
pole  of  the  life  ether  (corresponding  to  the  second  or  fluid 
subdivision  of  the  Chemical  Region).  The  passive  sense- 
perception,  which  is  due  to  the  negative  forces  of  the  light 
ether,  is  also  exceedingly  prominent.  The  child  is  very 
impressionable  and  it  is  "all  eyes  and  ears." 

During  the  earlier  years  the  forces  operating  along  the 
negative  pole  of  the  reflecting  ether  are  also  extremely 
active.  In  those  years  children  can  "see"  the  higher 
Worlds  and  they  often  prattle  about  what  they  see  until 
the  ridicule  of  their  elders  or  punishment  for  "telling  sto- 
ries" teaches  them  to  desist. 

It  is  deplorable  that  the  little  ones  are  forced  to  lie — 
or  at  least  to  deny  the  truth — because  of  the  incredulity  of 
their  "wise"  elders.  Even  the  investigations  of  the  Society 
for  Psychical  Research  have  proven  that  children  often 
have  invisible  playmates,  who  frequently  visit  them  until 
they  are  several  years  old.  During  those  years  the  clair- 
voyance of  the  children  is  of  the  same  negative  character 
as  that  of  the  mediums. 

It  is  the  same  with  the  forces  -working  in  the  desire 
body.  The  passive  feeling  of  physical  pain  is  present,  while 
the  feeling  of  emotion  is  almost  entirely  absent.  The  child 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION    141 

will,  of  course,  show  emotion  on  the  slightest  provocation, 
but  the  duration  of  that  emotion  is  but  momentary.  It 
is  all  on  the  surface. 

The  child  also  has  the  link  of  mind,  but  is  almost  incapa- 
ble of  individual  thought-activity.  It  is  exceedingly  sensi- 
tive to  forces  working  along  the  negative  pole  and  is  there- 
fore imitative  and  teachable. 

Thus  it  is  shown  that  all  the  negative  qualities  are  active 
in  the  new-born  entity,  but  before  it  is  able  to  use  its 
different  vehicles,  the  positive  qualities  must  be  ripened. 

Each  vehicle  is  therefore  brought  to  a  certain  degree  of 
maturity  by  the  activity  of  the  corresponding  vehicle  of 
the  macrocosm,  which  acts  as  a  womb  for  it  until  that 
degree  is  reached. 

From  the  first  to  the  seventh  year  the  vital  body  grows 
and  slowly  matures  within  the  womb  of  the  macrocosmic 
vital  body  and  because  of  the  greater  wisdom  of  this  vehicle 
of  the  macrocosm  the  child's  body  is  more  rounded  and 
well-built  than  in  later  life. 

BIRTH  OF  THE  VITAL  BODY. 

While  the  macrocosmic  vital  body  guides  the  growth  of 
the  child's  body  it  is  guarded  from  the  dangers  which  later 
threaten  it  when  the  unwise  individual  vital  body  takes 
unchecked  charge.  This  happens  in  the  seventh  year,  when 
the  period  of  excessive,  dangerous  growth  begins,  and  con- 
tinues through  the  next  seven  years.  During  this  time 
the  macrocosmic  desire  body  performs  the  function  of  a 
womb  for  the  individual  desire  body. 

Were  the  vital  body  to  have  continual  and  unrestrained 
sway  in  the  human  kingdom,  as  it  has  in  the  plant,  man 
would  grow  to  an  enormous  size.  There  was  a  time  in  the 
far-distant  past  when  man  was  constituted  like  a  plant, 


142  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

having  only  a  dense  body  and  a  vital  body.  The  traditions 
of  mythology  and  folk-lore  all  over  the  world  concerning 
giants  in  olden  times  are  absolutely  true,  because  then  men 
grew  as  tall  as  trees,  and  for  the  same  reason. 

BIRTH  OF  THE  DESIRE  BODY. 

The  vital  body  of  the  plant  builds  leaf  after  leaf,  carry- 
ing the  stem  higher  and  higher.  Were  it  not  for  the 
macrocosmic  desire  body  it  would  keep  on  in  that  way 
indefinitely,  but  the  macrocosmic  desire  body  steps  in  at  a 
certain  point  and  checks  further  growth.  The  force  that 
is  not  needed  for  further  growth  is  then  available  for 
other  purposes  and  is  used  to  build  the  flower  and  the  seed. 
In  like  manner  the  human  vital  body,  when  the  dense 
body  comes  under  its  sway,  after  the  seventh  year,  makes 
the  latter  grow  very  rapidly,  but  about  the  fourteenth  year 
the  individual  desire  body  is  born  from  the  womb  of  the 
macrocosmic  desire  body  and  is  then  free  to  work  on  its 
dense  body.  The  excessive  growth  is  then  checked  and 
the  force  theretofore  used  for  that  purpose  becomes  available 
for  propagation,  that  the  human  plant  may  flower  and 
bring  forth.  Therefore  the  birth  of  the  personal  desire 
body  marks  the  period  of  puberty.  From  this  period  the 
attraction  towards  the  opposite  sex  is  felt,  being  especially 
active  and  unrestrained  in  the  third  septenary  period  of 
life — from  the  fourteenth  to  the  twenty-first  year,  because 
the  restraining  mind  is  then  still  unborn. 

BIRTH  OF  THE  MIND. 

After  the  fourteenth  year,  the  mind  is  in  turn  brooded 
over  and  nurtured  by  the  macrocosmic  mind,  unfolding  its 
latent  possibilities  and  making  it  capable  of  original 
thought.  The  forces  of  the  individual's  different  vehicles 


143 

have  now  been  ripened  to  such  a  degree  that  he  can  use 
them  all  in  his  evolution,  therefore  at  the  twenty-first  year 
the  Ego  comes  into  possession  of  its  complete  vehicle.  It 
does  this  by  means  of  the  blood-heat  and  by  developing 
individual  blood.  This  is  done  in  connection  with  the 

full  development  of  the  light  ether. 

• 

THE  BLOOD  THE  VEHICLE  or  THE  EGO. 

In  infancy,  and  up  to  the  fourteenth  year,  the  red  mar- 
row-bones do  not  make  all  the  blood  corpuscles.  Most  of 
them  are  supplied  by  the  thymus  gland,  which  is  largest 
in  the  foetus  and  gradually  diminishes  as  the  individual 
blood-making  faculty  develops  in  the  growing  child.  The 
thymus  gland  contains,  as  it  were,  a  supply  of  blood  cor- 
puscles given  by  the  parents,  and  consequently  the  child, 
which  draws  its  blood  from  that  source,  does  not  realize  its 
individuality.  Not  until  the  blood  is  made  by  the  child 
does  it  think  of  itself  as  "I,"  and  when  the  thymus  gland 
disappears,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  the  "I"  feeling  reaches 
its  full  expression,,  for  then  the  blood  is  made  and  dom- 
inated entirely  by  the  Ego.  The  following  will  make  clear 
the  idea  and  its  logic: 

It  will  be  remembered  that  assimilation  and  growth  de- 
pend upon  the  forces  working  along  the  positive  pole  of 
the  vital  body's  chemical  ether.  That  is  set  free  at  the 
seventh  year,  together  with  the  balance  of  the  vital  body. 
Only  the  chemical  ether  is  fully  ripe  at  that  time;  the 
other  parts  need  more  ripening.  At  the  fourteenth  year 
the  life  ether  of  the  vital  body,  which  has  to  do  with 
propagation,  is  fully  ripe.  In  the  period  from  seven  to 
fourteen  years  of  age  the  excessive  assimilation  has  stored 
up  an  amount  of  force  which  goes  to  the  sex  organs  and 
is  ready  at  the  time  the  desire  body  is  set  free. 


144  ROSICRUCiAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

This  force  of  sex  is  stored  in  the  blood  during  the  third 
of  the  seven-year  periods  and  in  that  time  the  light  ether, 
which  is  the  avenue  for  the  blood-heat,  is  developed  and 
controls  the  heart,  so  that  the  body  is  neither  too  hot  nor 
too  cold.  In  early  childhood  the  blood  very  often  rises 
to  an  abnormal  temperature.  During  the  period  of  ex- 
cessive growth  it  is  frequently  the  reverse,  but  in  the  hot- 
headed, unrestrained  youth,  passion  and  temper  very  often 
drive  the  Ego  out  by  over-heating  the  blood.  We  very 
appropriately  call  this  an  ebullition  or  boiling  over  of 
temper  and  describe  the  effect  as  causing  the  person  to 
"lose  his  head,"  i.  e.,  become  incapable  of  thought.  That 
is  exactly  what  happens  when  passion,  rage,  or  temper 
overheats  the  blood,  thus  drawing  the  Ego  outside  the 
bodies.  The  description  is  accurate  when,  of  a  person  in 
such  a  state,,  we  say,  "He  has  lost  control  of  himself."  The 
Ego  is  outside  of  his  vehicles  and  they  are  running  amuck, 
bereft  of  the  guiding  influence  of  thought,  part  of  the  work 
of  which  is  to  act  as  a  brake  on  impulse.  The  great  and 
terrible  danger  of  such  outbursts  is  that  before  the  owner 
re-enters  his  body  some  disembodied  entity  may  take  pos- 
session of  it  and  keep  him  out.  This  is  called  "obsession." 
Only  the  man  who  keeps  cool  and  does  not  allow  excess  of 
heat  to  drive  him  out  can  think  properly.  As  proof  of  the 
assertion  that  the  Ego  cannot  work  in  the  body  when  the 
blood  is  either  too  hot  or  too  cold  we  will  call  attention  to 
the  well-known  fact  that  excessive  heat  makes  one  sleepy 
and,  if  carried  beyond  a  certain  point,  it  drives  the  Ego 
out,  leaving  the  body  in  a  faint,  that  is,  unconscious. 
Excessive  cold  has  also  a  tendency  to  make  the  body  sleepy 
or  unconscious.  It  is  only  when  the  blood  is  at  or  near 
the  normal  temperature  that  the  Ego  can  use  it  as  a 
vehicle  of  consciousness. 


MAN  AND  THE  METHOD  OF  EVOLUTION  145 

To  further  show  the  connection  of  the  Ego  with  the 
blood  we  may  mention  the  burning  blush  of  shame,  which 
is  an  evidence  of  the  manner  in  which  the  blood  is  driven 
to  the  head,  thus  over-heating  the  brain  and  paralyzing 
thought.  Fear  is  the  state  when  the  Ego  wants  to  barri- 
cade himself  against  some  outside  danger.  He  then  drives 
the  blood  to  the  center  and  grows  pale,  because  the  blood 
has  left  the  periphery  of  the  body  and  has  lost  heat,  thus 
paralyzing  thought.  His  blood  "freezes,"  he  shivers  and 
his  teeth  chatter,  as  when  the  temperature  is  lowered  by 
atmospheric  conditions.  In  fever  the  excess  of  heat  causes 
delirium. 

The  full-blooded  person,  when  the  blood  is  not  too  hot, 
is  active  in  body  and  mind,  while  the  anemic  person  is 
sleepy.  In  one  the  Ego  has  better  control ;  in  the  other  less. 
When  the  Ego  wants  to  think  it  drives  blood,  at  the  proper 
heat,  to  the  brain.  When  a  heavy  meal  centers  the  activity 
of  the  Ego  upon  the  digestive  tracts,  the  man  cannot  think ; 
he  is  sleepy. 

The  old  Norsemen  and  the  Scots  recognized  that  the 
Ego  is  in  the  blood.  Xo  stranger  could  become  associated 
with  them  as  a  relative  until  he  had  "mixed  blood"  with 
them  and  thus  become  one  of  them.  Goethe,  who  was  an 
Initiate,  also  showed  this  in  his  "Faust."  Faust  is  about 
to  sign  the  compact  with  Mephistopheles  and  asks,  "Why 
not  sign  with  ordinary  ink?  Why  use  blood?"  Mephisto 
imswers.  "Blood  is  a  most  peculiar  essence."  He  knows, 
that  who  has  the  blood  has  the  man ;  that  without  the 
warm  blood,  no  Ego  can  find  expression. 

The  proper  heat  for  the  real  expression  of  the  Ego  is  not 
present  until  the  mind  is  born  from  the  macrocosmic  Con- 
crete Mind,  when  the  individual  is  about  twenty-one  years 


346 


BOSICBUCI  AN  COSMO-CONCEPT  ION 


old.    Statutory  law  also  recognizes  this  as  the  earliest  age 
when  the  man  is  deemed  fit  to  exercise  a  franchise. 

At  the  present  stage  of  human  development  the  man 
goes  thrcrugh  these  principal  stages  in  each  life  cycle,  from 
one  birth  to  the  next. 


A°L1FE-GYCLE 


Almd-Essence  of  nkkt 
Thou^hl NSoul-Esseuc  e    , 
FJijhl  JFceUnf  built  into  Spirit- 
as  basis  for  Tut 


Desire  f>r  Experience- 

ani"  *" 


Good  in  past  life  built  into 
the  Mmd  asBt^brlTzoujh 
also  worh  on  Ne>v 


World 

•i 

Abstnicl 


2nd 
He&vea 


^t  Gathers 
Materials  for 

A 

Mew  Mind 


cVUd 

Concrt-te- 
Thought 


Essence  of  Fain  buiUinfo 
Soul  as  R'^hlTeelin«j 

Suffering  purges  Soul 


OOul  view's  panorama  of 
p&st  L»'i{6 


TV 

Pbvs- 

iCdl 

World 


CHAPTEK  IV. 
REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE. 

ONLY  three  theories  worthy  of  note  have  ever  been 
brought  forward  to  solve  the  riddle  of  Life  and 
Death. 

In  the  previous  chapter  we  have,  to  some  extent,  ex- 
plained one  of  these  three  theories — that  of  Rebirth,  to- 
gether with  its  companion  law,  the  law  of  Consequence. 
It  may  not  be  put  of  place  to  compare  the  theory  of  Re- 
birth with  the  other  two  theories  advanced,  with  a  view 
to  ascertaining  their  relative  foundation  in  nature.  To 
the  occultist  there  can  be  no  question.  He  does  not  say 
that  he  "believes"  in  it  any  more  than  we  need  to  say  that 
we  "believe"  as  to  the  blooming  of  the  rose  or  the  flowing 
of  the  river,  or  the  operation  of  any  of  the  visible  workings 
of  the  material  world,  which  are  continually  going  on  be- 
fore our  eyes.  We  do  not  say  of  these  things  that  we  "be- 
lieve;" we  say  that  we  "know,"  because  we  see  them.  So 
the  occult  scientist  can  say  "I  know"  in  regard  to  Rebirth, 
the  law  of  Consequence  and  their  corollaries.  He  sees  the 
Ego  and  can  trace  its  path  after  it  has  passed  out  of  the 
dense  body  at  death  until  it  has  reappeared  on  earth 
through  a  new  birth.  Therefore  to  him  no  "belief"  is 
necessary.  For  the  satisfaction  of  others,  however,  it  may 
be  well  to  examine  these  three  theories  of  life  and  death 
in  order  to  arrive  at  an  intelligent  conclusion. 

Any  great  law  of  nature  must  necessarily  be  in  harmony 


148  KOSJCKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

with  all  her  other  laws.  Therefore  it  may  be  very  helpful 
to  the  inquirer  to  examine  these  theories  in  their  relation 
to  what  are  admitted  by  all  parties  to  be  "known  laws  of 
nature/'  as  observed  in  that  part  of  our  universe  with 
which  we  are  more  familiar.  To  this  end  we  will  first 
state  the  three  theories: 

(1)  The    Materialistic    Theory   holds   that   life   is   a 
journey  from  the  womb  to  the  tomb;  that  mind  is 
the  result  of  certain  correlations  of  matter;  that 
man  is  the  highest  intelligence  in  the  Cosmos ;  and, 
that  his  intelligence  perishes  when  the  body  disin- 
tegrates at  death. 

(2)  The  Theory  of  Theology  asserts  that  at  each  birth 
a  newly-created  soul  enters  the  arena  of  life  fresh 
from  the  hand  of  God,  passing  from  an  invisible 
state  through  the  gate  of  birth  into  visible  exist- 
ence; that  at  the  end  of  one  short  span  of  life  in 
the  material  world  it  passes  out  through  the  gate 
of  death  into  the  invisible  beyond,  whence  it  returns 
no  more;  that  its  happiness  or  misery  there  is  de- 
termined for  all  eternity  by  its  actions  during  the 
infinitesimal  period  intervening  between  birth  and 
death. 

(3)  The  Theory  of  Rebirth  teaches  that  each  soul  is 
an  integral  part  of  God,  enfolding  all  divine  possi- 
bilities as  the  seed  enfolds  the  plant ;  that  by  means 
of  repeated  existences  in  an  earthly  body  of  gradu- 
ally improving  quality,  the  latent  possibilities  are 
slowly  developed  into  dynamic  powers;  that  none 
are  lost  by  this  process,  but  that  all  mankind  will 
ultimately  attain  the  goal  of  perfection  and  re-union 
with  God. 

The  first  of  these  theories  is  monistic.     It  seeks  to  ex- 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE       149 

plain  all  facts  of  existence  as  processes  within  the  material 
world.  The  two  other  theories  agree  in  being  dualistic, 
that  is,  they  ascribe  some  of  the  facts  and  phases  of  exist- 
ence to  a  super-physical,  invisible  state,  but  they  differ 
widely  on  other  points. 

Bringing  the  materialistic  theory  into  comparison  with 
the  known  laws  of  the  universe,  we  find  that  the  con- 
tinuity of  force  is  as  well  established  as  the  continuity  of 
matter  and  both  are  beyond  the  need  of  elucidation.  We 
also  know  that  matter  and  force  are  inseparable  in  the 
Physical  World.  This  is  contrary  to  the  materialistic  the- 
ory, which  holds  that  mind  perishes  at  death.  When 
nothing  can  be  destroyed,  mind  must  be  included.  More- 
over we  know  that  mind  is  superior  to  matter,  for  it  molds 
the  face,  so  that  it  becomes  a  reflection  or  mirror  of  the 
mind.  We  have  discovered  that  the  particles  of  our  bodies 
are  constantly  changing;  that  at  least  once  in  seven  years 
there  is  a  change  in  every  atom  of  matter  composing  them. 
If  the  materialistic  theory  were  true,  the  consciousness 
ought  also  to  undergo  an  entire  change,  with  no  memory 
of  that  which  preceded,  so  that  at  no  time  could  man  re- 
member any  event  more  than  seven  years.  We  know  that 
this  is  not  the  case.  We  remember  the  events  of  our  child- 
hood. Many  of  the  most  trivial  incidents  though  forgotten 
in  ordinary  consciousness,  have  been  distinctly  recalled  in 
a  swift  vision  of  the  whole  life  by  drowning  persons,  who 
have  related  the  experience  after  resuscitation.  Similar 
experiences  in  states  of  trance  are  also  common.  Materi- 
alism is  unable  to  account  for  these  phases  of  sub-  and 
super-consciousness.  It  ignores  them.  At  the  present  stage 
of  scientific  investigation,  where  leading  scientists  have 
established  beyond  a  doubt  the  existence  of  these  phenom- 
ena, the  policy  of  ignoring  them  is  a  serious  defect  in  a 


150  BO.8ICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

theory  claiming  to  solve  the  greatest  problem  of  life — 
Life  itself. 

We  may  therefore  safely  pass  from  the  materialistic 
theory  as  being  inadequate  to  solve  the  mystery  of  life  and 
death  and  turn  to  a  consideration  of  the  next  theory. 

One  of  the  greatest  objections  to  the  orthodox  theological 
doctrine,  as  it  is  expounded,  is  its  entire  and  confessed 
inadequacy.  Of  the  myriads  of  souls  which  have  been 
created  and  have  inhabited  this  Globe  since  the  beginning 
of  existence,  even  if  that  beginning  dates  back  no  further 
than  six  thousand  years,  the  insignificant  number  of 
only  "one  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand"  are  to 
be  saved!  The  rest  are  to  be  tortured  forever  and  ever! 
The  devil  gets  the  best  of  it  all  the  time.  One  cannot  help 
saying  with  Buddha,  "If  God  permits  such  misery  to  exist 
He  cannot  be  good,  and  if  He  is  powerless  to  prevent  it, 
He  .cannot  be  God." 

Nothing  in  nature  is  analogous  to  such  a  method  of 
creation  in  order  that  destruction  may  follow.  It  is  repre- 
sented that  God  desires  ALL  should  be  saved  and  is  averse 
to  the  destruction  of  any,  having  for  their  salvation  "given 
His  only  Son/'  and  yet  this  "glorious  plan  of  salvation" 
fails  to  save ! 

If  a  trans-Atlantic  liner  with  two  thousand  souls  on 
board  sent  a  wireless  message  that  she  was  sinking  just 
off  Sandy  Hook,  would  it  be  regarded  as  a  "glorious  plan 
of  salvation"  if  a  fast  motor-boat  capable  of  rescuing  only 
two  or  three  people,  were  sent  to  her  aid  ?  Certainly  not ! 
It  would  more  likely  be  denounced  as  a  "plan  of  destruc- 
tion" if  adequate  means  were  not  provided  for  the  saving 
of  at  least  the  majority  of  those  in  danger. 

But  the  theologians'  plan  of  salvation  is  vastly  worse 
than  this,  because  two  or  three  out  of  two  thousand  is  an 


KEBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        151 

immensely  greater  proportion  than  the  orthodox  theo- 
logical plan  of  saving  only  144,000  out  of  all  tha  myriads 
of  souls  created.  We  may  safely  reject  this  theory  also, 
as  being  untrue,  because  unreasonable.  If  God  were  all- 
wise  He  would  have  evolved  a  more  efficacious  plan.  So 
He  has,  and  the  above  is  only  the  theory  of  the  theologian. 
The  teaching  of  the  Bible  is  very  different,  as  will  appear 
later. 

We  turn  now  to  consider  the  doctrine  of  Rebirth,  which 
postulates  a  slow  process  of  development,  carried  on  with 
unwavering  persistence  through  repeated  embodiments  in 
forms  of  increasing  efficiency  whereby  all  are,  in  time, 
brought  to  a  height  of  spiritual  splendor  at  present  incon- 
ceivable to  us.  There  is  nothing  unreasonable  nor  difficult 
to  accept  in  such  a  theory.  As  we  look  about  us  we  find 
everywhere  in  nature  this  striving  for  perfection  in  a  slow, 
persistent  manner.  We  find  no  sudden  process  of  creation 
or  destruction,  such  as  the  theologian  postulates,  but  we  do 
find  "Evolution." 

Evolution  is  "the  history  of  the  progression  of  the 
Spirit  in  Time."  Everywhere,  as  we  see  about  us  the 
varied  phenomena  in  the  universe,  we  realize  that  the  path 
of  evolution  is  a  spiral.  Each  loop  of  the  spiral  is  a  cycle. 
Each  cycle  merges  into  the  next,  as  the  loops  of  the  spiral 
are  continuous,  each  cycle  being  the  improved  product  of 
those  preceding  it  and  the  creator  of  those  more  developed 
states  which  succeed  it. 

A  straight  line  is  but  the  extension  of  a  point.  It  occu- 
pies but  one  dimension  in  space.  The  theory  of  the  mate- 
rialist and  that  of  the  theologian  would  be  analogous  to  this 
line.  The  materialist  makes  the  line.. of  life  start  at  birth, 
and  to  be  consistent,  the  death  hour  must  terminate  it. 
The  theologian  commences  his  line  with  the  creation  of 


152  ROS1CKUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

the  soul  just  previous  to  birth.  After  death  the  soul  lives 
on,  its  fate  irretrievably  determined  by  the  deeds  of  a  few 
short  years.  There  is  no  coming  back  to  correct  mistakes. 
The  line  runs  straight  on,  implying  a  modicum  of  experi- 
ence and  no  elevation  for  the  soul  after  death. 

Natural  progression  does  not  follow  a  straight  line  such 
as  these  two  theories  imply;  nor  even  a  circular  path,  for 
that  would  imply  a  never-ending  round  of  the  same  experi- 
ences and  the  use  of  only  two  dimensions  in  space.  All 
things  move  in  progressive  cycles  and  in  order  to  take 
full  advantage  of  all  the  opportunities  for  advancement 
offered  by  our  three-dimensional  universe,  it  is  necessary 
that  the  evolving  life  should  take  the  three-dimensional 
path — the  spiral — which  goes  ever  onward  and  upward. 

Whether  we  look  at  the  modest  little  plant  in  our  garden, 
or  go  to  the  redwood  district  of  California  and  examine  one 
of  the  giant  sequoias  with  its  forty-foot  diameter,  it  is 
always  the  same — every  branch,  twig  or  leaf  will  be  found 
growing  in  either  a  single  or  a  double  spiral,  or  in  opposite 
pairs,  each  balancing  either,  analogous  to  ebb  and  flow, 
day  and  night,  life  and  death  and  other  alternating  activi- 
ties in  nature. 

Examine  the  vaulted  arch  of  the  sky  and  observe  the 
fiery  nebulae  or  the  path  of  the  Solar  Systems — everywhere 
the  spiral  meets  the  eye.  In  the  spring  the  Earth  discards 
its  white  blanket  and  emerges  from  its  period  of  rest — 
its  winter's  sleep.  All  activities  are  exerted  to  bring  forth 
new  life  everywhere.  Time  passes.  The  corn  and  the 
grape  are  ripened  and  harvested.  Again  the  busy  summer 
fades  into  the  silence  and  inactivity  of  the  winter.  Again 
the  snowy  coverlet  enwraps  the  Earth,  But  her  sleep  is 
not  forever;  she  will  wake  again  to  the  song  of  the  new- 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        153 

spring,  which  will  mark  for  her  a  little  further  progress 
along  the  pathway  of  time. 

So  with  the  Sun.  He  rises  in  the  morning  of  each  day, 
but  each  morning  he  is  further  along  on  his  journey 
through  the  year. 

Everywhere  the  spiral — Onward,  Upward,  Forever! 

Is  it  possible  that  this  law,  so  universal  in  all  other 
realms,  should  be  inoperative  in  the  life  of  man?  Shall 
the  earth  wake  each  year  from  its  winter  sleep;  shall  the 
tree  and  the  flower  live  again  and  man  die  ?  It  cannot  be ! 
The  same  law  that  wakes  the  life  in  the  plant  to  new 
growth  will  wake  the  human  being  to  new  experience,  to 
further  progress  toward  the  goal  of  perfection.  Therefore 
the  theory  of  Rebirth,  which  teaches  repeated  embodiment 
in  gradually  improving  vehicles,  is  in  perfect  accord  with 
evolution  and  the  phenomena  of  nature,  which  the  other 
two  theories  are  not. 

Regarding  life  from  an  ethical  viewpoint,  we  find  that 
the  law  of  Rebirth  coupled  with  the  companion  law  of  Con- 
sequence, is  the  only  theory  that  will  satisfy  a  sense  of 
justice,  in  harmony  with  the  facts  of  life  as  we  see  them 
about  us. 

It  is  not  easy  for  the  logical  mind  to  understand  how  a 
"just  and  loving"  God  can  require  the  same  virtues  from 
the  milliards  whom  He  has  been  "pleased  to  place  in  dif- 
fering circumstances"  according  to  no  apparent  rule  nor 
system,  but  willy-nilly,  according  to  His  own  capricious 
mood.  One  lives  in  luxury;  the  other  on  "kicks  and 
crusts."  One  has  a  moral  education  and  an  atmosphere  of 
high  ideals ;  the  other  is  placed  in  squalid  surroundings  and 
taught  to  He  and  steal  and  that  the  more  he  does  of  both, 
the  more  of  a  success  he  is.  Is  it  just  to  require  the  same 
of  both?  Is  it  right  to  reward  one  for  living  a  good  life 


154  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

wbeo-.be  was  placed  in  an  environment  that  made  it. .ex-, 
tremely  difficult  for  bim  to  go  astray,  or  to  punish  the 
other,  who  was  handicapped  to  such  an  extent  that  he  never 
had  an  idea  of  what  constitutes  true  morality.  Surely  not ! 
Is  it  not  more  logical  to  think  that  we  may  have  misin- 
terpreted the  Bible  than  to  impute  to  God  such  a  mon- 
strous plan  and  method  of  procedure? 

It  is  useless  to  say  that  we  must  not  inquire  into  the 
mysteries  of  God ;  that  they  are  past  our  finding  out.  The 
inequalities  of  life  can  he  satisfactorily  explained  by  the 
twin  law  of  Rebirth  and  Consequence  and  made  to  har- 
monize with  the  conception  of  a  just  and  loving  God,  as 
taught  by  Christ  Himself. 

Moreover,  by  means  of  these  twin  laws  a  way  to  emanci- 
pation from  present  undesirable  position  or  environment 
is  shown,  together  with  the  means  of  attaining  to  any  de- 
gree of  development,  no  matter  how  imperfect  we  may  be 
now. 

.What  we  are,  what  we  have,  all  our  good  qualities  are 
tbe  result  of  our  own  actions  in  the  past.  What  we  lack 
in  physical,  moral,  or  mental  excellence  may  yet  be  ours 
in  the  future. 

Exactly  as  we  cannot  do  otherwise  than  take  up  our 
lives  each  morning  where  we  laid  them  down  the  preceding 
night,  co  by  our  work  in  previous  lives  have  we  made  the 
conditions  under  which  we  now  live  and  labor,  and  are 
at  present  creating  the  conditions  of  our  future  lives. 
Instead  of  bemoaning  the  lack  of  this  or  that  faculty  which 
we  covet,  yre  must  set  to  work  to  acquire  it. 

If  one  child  plays  beautifully  on  a  musical  instrument, 
with  hardly .  an  effort  at  learning, .  while  another,,  despite 
persistent  effort,  is  a  poor  player  in  comparison,  it  merely 
shows  that  one  expended  the  effort  in  a  previous  life  and  is 


HEB1KTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        155 

easily  regaining  a  former  proficiency,  while  the  efforts  of  the 
other  have  been  started  only  in  the  present  incarnation,  and 
in  consequence  we  see  the  uphill  work.  But,  if  the  latter 
persist,  he  may,  even  in  the  present  life,  become  superior 
to  the  former  unless  the  former  constantly  improves. 

That  we  do  not  remember  the  effort  made  in  acquiring 
a  faculty  by  hard  work  is  immaterial;  it  does  not  alter 
the  fact  that  the  faculty  remains  with  us. 

Genius  is  the  hall-mark  of  the  advanced  soul,  which  by 
hard  work  in  many  previous  lives  has  developed  itself  in 
some  direction  beyond  the  normal  achievements  of  the 
race.  It  reveals  a  glimpse  of  the  degree  of  attainment 
which  will  be  the  common  possession  of  the  coming  Race. 
It  cannot  be  accounted  for  by  heredity,  which  applies  only 
in  part  to  the  dense  body  and  not  to  qualities  of  the  soul. 
If  genius  could  be  accounted  for  by  heredity,  why  is  there 
not  a  long  line  of  mechanical  ancestors  previous  to  Thomas 
Edison,  each  more  capable  than  his  predecessor  ?  Why  does 
not  genius  propagate  itself  ?  Why  is  not  Siegfried  the  son, 
greater  than  Richard  Wagner,  the  father? 

In  cases  where  the  expression  of  genius  depends  upon 
the  possession  of  specially  constructed  organs,  requiring 
ages  of  development,  the  Ego  naturally  incarnates  in  a 
family  the  Egos  of  which  have,  for  generations,  labored 
to  build  a  similar  organism.  That  is  why  twenty-nine 
musicians  of  more  or  less  genius  incarnated  in  the  Bach 
family  during  a  period  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  years. 
That  genius  is  an  expression  of  the  soul  and  not  of  the 
body  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  it  did  not  gradually  im- 
prove and  reach  efflorescence  in  the  person  of  John  Sebas- 
tian Bach,  but  that  the  proficiency  which  reached  its  High- 
est expression  in  him  towered  high  abov«  ancestors  and 
descendants  alike. 


156  UOSICKUC1AN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

.  The  body  is  simply  an  instrument,  the  work  it  yields 
being  dependent  upon  the  Ego  which  guides  it,  as  the 
quality  of  the  melody  is  dependent  upon  the  musician's 
skill,  aided  by  the  timbre  of  the  instrument.  A  good 
musician  cannot  fully  express  himself  upon  a  poor  in- 
strument, and  even  upon  the  same  instrument,  all  musi- 
cians do  not  and  cannot  play  alike.  Because  an  Ego  in- 
carnates as  the  son  of  a  great  musician  it  does  not  neces- 
sarily follow  that  he  must  be  a  still  greater  genius,  as 
would  be  the  case  if  physical  heredity  were  a  fact  and 
genius  were  not  a  soul-quality. 

The  "Law  of  Attraction"  accounts  in  quite  as  satisfac- 
tory a  manner  for  the  facts  we  ascribe  to  heredity.  We 
know  that  people  of  like  tastes  will  seek  one  another.  If 
we  know  that  a  friend  is  in  a  certain  city,  but  are  ignorant 
of  his  address,  we  will  naturally  be  governed  by  the  law 
of  association  in  our  efforts  to  find  him.  If  he  is  a  musi- 
cian, he  will  most  likely  be  found  where  musicians  are 
wont  to  assemble;  if  he  is  a  student  inquiry  will  be  made 
at  libraries,  reading-rooms  and  book  stores,  or  if  he  is  a 
sporting  man  we  would  seek  him  at  race  tracks,  poolrooms 
or  saloons.  It  is  not  probable  that  the  musician  or  the 
student  would  frequent  the  latter  places  and  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  our  search  for  the  sporting  man  would  not  be 
successful  if  we  sought  him  in  a  library  or  at  a  classical 
concert. 

Similarly,  the  Ego  ordinarily  gravitates  to  th'e  most 
congenial  associations.  It  is  constrained  to  do  so  by  one 
of  the  twin  forces  of  the  Desire  World — the  force  of 
Attraction. 

The  objection  may  be  urged  that  there  are  people  of 
entirely  opposite  tastes,  or  bitter  enemies  even,  in  the 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        157 

same  family,  and  if  the  law  of  Association,  governed  why 
should  they  be  attracted  thereto? 

The  explanation  of  such  cases  is  that  during  the  Ego's 
earth  lives  many  relations  had  been  established  with  vari- 
ous people.  These  relations  were  pleasant  or  otherwise, 
involving  on  the  one  hand  obligations  which  were  not 
liquidated  at  the  time ;  or  on  the  other  involving  the  inflic- 
tion of  an  injury  and  a  feeling  of  very  strong  hate  between 
the  injured  and  his  enemy.  The  law  of  Consequence  re- 
quires an  exact  adjustment  of  the  score.  Death  does  not 
"pay  it  all"  any  more  than  moving  to  another  city  will 
liquidate  a  monetary  debt.  The  time  comes  when  the  two 
enemies  shall  meet  again.  The  old  hate  has  brought  them 
together  in  the  same  family,  because  it  is  the  purpose  of 
God  that  all  shall  love  one  another;  therefore  hate  must 
be  transformed  into  love  and  though,  perchance,  they  may 
spend  many  lives  "fighting  it  out/'  they  will  at  some  time 
learn  the  lesson  and  become  friends  and  mutual  benefactors 
instead  of  enemies.  In  such  cases  the  Interest  these  people 
had  in  one  another  set  in  action  the  force  of  Attraction, 
and  that  brought  theni  together.  Had  they  simply  been 
mutually  Indifferent,  they  could  not  have  become 
associated. 

Thus  do  the  twin  laws  of  Kebirth  and  Consequence  solve, 
in  a  rational  manner,  all  the  problems  incident  to  human 
life  as  man  steadily  advances  toward  the  next  stage  in 
evolution — the  Superman.  The  trend  of  humanity's 
progress  is  onward  and  upward  forever,  says  this  theory 
— not  as  some  people  think,  who  have  confounded  the  doc- 
trine of  Rebirth  with  the  foolish  teaching  of  some  Indian 
tribes  who  believe  that  man  is  reincarnated  n  animals  or 
plants.  That  would  be  retrogression.  No  authority  for 
this  doctrine  of  retrogression  can  be  found  in  nature  or 


158  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTIOX 

in  the  sacred  books  of  any  religion.  In  one  (and  one  only) 
of  the  religious  writings  of  India  is  it  touched  upon.  In 
the  Kathopanishad  (ch.  v;  verse  9)  it  is  stated  that  "Some 
men,  according  to  their  deeds,  go  into  the  womb  and  other? 
into  the  'sthanu.' ':  "Sthami"  is  a  Sanskrit  word,  which 
means  "motionless,"  but  it  also  means  "a  pillar,"  and  has 
been  interpreted  to  mean  that  some  men,  because  of  their 
sins,  go  back  to  the  motionless  plant  kingdom. 

Spirits  incarnate  only  to  gain  experience;  to  conquer 
the  world;  to  overcome  the  lower  self  and  attain  self-mas- 
tery. When  we  realize  this  we  shall  understand  that  there 
comes  a  time  when  there  is  no  further  need  for  incarnation 
because  the  lessons  have  all  been  learned.  The  teaching 
of  the  Kathopanishad  indicates  that  instead  of  remaining 
tied  to  the  wheel  of  birth  and  death,  man  will  at  some  time 
go  into  the  motionless  state  of  "Nirvana." 

In  the  Book  of  Revelation  we  find  these  words:  "Him 
that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my 
God  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out"  referring  to  entire  lib- 
eration from  concrete  existence.  Nowhere  is  there  any 
authority  for  the  doctrine  of  the  transmigration  of  souls. 
A  man  who  has  evolved  so  far  as  to  have  an  individual, 
separate  soul  cannot  turn  back  in  his  progress  and  enter  the 
vehicle  of  animal  or  plant,  which  are  under  a  group-spirit. 
The  individual  spirit  is  a  higher  evolution  than  the  group- 
spirit  and  the  lesser  cannot  contain  the  greater. 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  in  his  beautiful  poem,  "The 
Chambered  Nautilus,"  has  embodied  this  idea  of  constant 
progression  in  gradually  improving  vehicles,  and  final  lib- 
eration. The  nautilus  builds  its  spiral  shell  in  chambered 
sections,  constantly  leaving  the  smaller  ones,  which  it  haa 
outgrown,  for  the  one  last  built : 


REBIRTH  AMD  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        159 


Year  after  year  beheld  the  silent  toil 

That  spread  hia  lustrous  coil; 

Still,-  as  the  spiral  grew, 

He  left  the  past  year's  dwelling  for  the  new, 

Stole  with  soft  step  its  shining  archway  through, 

Built  up  its  idle  door, 

Stretched  in  his  last-found  home,  and  knew  the  old  no  more. 

Thanks  for  the  heavenly  message  brought  by  thee, 

Child  of  the  wandering  sea, 

Cast  from  her  lap  forlorn! 

From  thy  dead  lips  a  clearer  note  is  born 

Than  ever  Triton  blew  from  wreathed  horn! 

While  on  mine  ear  it  rings, 

Through  the  deep  caves  of  thought  I  hear  a  voice  that  sings: 

Build  thee  more  stately  mansions,  O  my  soul! 
As  the  swift  seasons  roll! 
Leave  thy  low-vaulted  past ! 
Let  each  new  temple,  nobler  than  the  last, 
Shut  thee  from  heaven  with  a  dome  more  vast, 
Till  thou  at  length  art  free, 
.    Leaving  thine  outgrown  shell  by  life's  unresting  sea! 

The  necessity,  previously  referred  to,  of  obtaining  an 
organism  of  a  specific  nature,  brings  to  mind  an  interesting 
phase  of  the  twin  laws  of  Kebirth  and  Consequence.  These 
laws  are  connected  with  the  motion  of  the  Cosmic  bodies, 
the  Sun,  the  planets  and  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac.  All  move 
in  harmony  with  these  laws,  guided  in  their  orbits  by  their 
indwelling  spiritual  Intelligences — the  Planetary  Spirits. 

On  account  of  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes  the  Sun 
moves  backward  through  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac  at 
the  rate  of  approximately  one  degree  of  space  in  72  years, 
and  through  each  sign  (30  degrees  of  space)  in  about 
2,100  years,  or  around  the  whole  circle  in  about  26,000 
years. 

This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Earth  does  not  spin  upon 
a  stationary  axis.  Its  axis  has  a  slow,  swinging  motion  of 
its  own  (just  like  thp  wabble  of  a  spinning  top  that  has 


100  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

almost  spent  its  force),  so  that  it  describes  a  circle  in  space 
and  thus  one  star  after  another  becomes  Pole  Star. 

Because  of  this  wabbling  motion  the  Sun  does  not  cross 
the  equator  in  the  same  place  every  year,  but  a  few  hun- 
dred rods  further  back,  hence  the  name,  the  "precession  of 
the  equinoxes,"  because  the  equinox  "precedes — comes  too 
early. 

All  happenings  on  the  Earth  in  connection  with  the 
other  Cosmic  bodies  and  their  inhabitants  are  connected 
with  this  and  other  Cosmic  movements.  So  are  also  the 
laws  of  Eebirth  and  Consequence. 

As  the  Sun  passes  through  the  different  signs  in  the 
course  of  the  year,  the  climatic  and  other  changes  affect 
man  and  his  activities  in  different  ways.  Similarly  the 
passage  of  the  Sun  by  the  precession  of  the  equinoxes, 
through  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac — which  is  called  a 
World-year,  brings  about  conditions  on  the  Earth  of  a  far 
greater  variety.  It  is  necessary  to  the  growth  of  the  soul 
that  it  should  experience  them  all.  In  fact,  as  we  have 
seen,  the  man  himself  makes  these  conditions  while  in 
the  Heaven  World  between  incarnations.  Therefore,  every 
Ego  is  born  twice  during  the  time  the  Sun  is  passing 
through  one  sign  of  the  Zodiac;  and,  as  the  soul  itself  is 
necessarily  double-sexed,  in  order  to  obtain  all  experience, 
it  incarnates  alternately  in  a  male  and  a  female  body.  This 
is  because  the  experience  of  one  sex  differs  widely  from 
that  of  the  other.  At  the  same  time,  the  outside  conditions 
are  not  greatly  altered  in  one  thousand  years  and  therefore 
permit  the  entity  to  receive  experience  in  the  same  identical 
environment  from  the  standpoint  of  both  man  and  woman. 

These  are  the  general  terms  upon  which  the  law  of 
Rebirth  operates,  but  as  it  is  not  a  blind  law,  it  is  subject 
to  frequent  modifications,  determined  by  the  Lords  of 


EEBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        161 

Destiny,  the  Recording  Angels,  as,  for  instance,  in  a  case 
where  an  Ego  needs  a  sensitive  eye  or  ear  and  there  is  an 
opportunity  for  giving  it  the  required  instrument  in  a 
family  with  which  relations  have  previously  been  estab- 
lished. The  time  for  the  incarnation  of  the  Ego  in  ques- 
tion may  lack,  perhaps,  two  hundred  years  of  being  ripe, 
according  to  the  average  period,  but  it  is  seen  by  the  Lords 
of  Destiny  that  unless  this  opportunity  is  embraced,  the 
Ego  will  perhaps  have  to  spend  four  or  five  hundred  years 
in  heaven  in  excess  of  the  time  required,  before  another 
chance  will  present  itself.  Therefore  the  Ego  is  brought  to 
incarnation  ahead  of  schedule  time,  so  to  speak,  the  de- 
ficiency of  rest  in  the  third  heaven  being  made  up  at  an- 
other time.  So  we  see  that,  not  only  do  the  departed  work 
on  us  from  the  Heaven  World,  but  we  also  work  on  them, 
attracting  or  repelling  them.  A  favorable  opportunity  for 
procuring  a  suitable  instrument  may  attract  an  Ego  to 
incarnation.  Had  no  instrument  been  available,  he  would 
have  been  kept  longer  in  heaven  and  the  surplus  time 
deducted  from  his  succeeding  heaven  lives. 

The  law  of  Consequence  also  works  in  harmony  with 
the  stars,  so  that  a  man  is  born  at  the  time  when  the  posi- 
tions of  the  bodies  in  the  solar  system  will  give  the  condi- 
tions necessary  to  his  experience  and  advancement  in  the 
school  of  life.  That  is  why  Astrology  is  an  absolutely  true 
science,  though  even  the  best  astrologer  may  misinterpret 
it,  because,  like  all  other  human  beings,  he  is  fallible.  The 
stars  show  accurately  the  time  in  a  man's  life  when  the 
debt  which  the  Lords  of  Destiny  have  selected  for  payment 
is  due,  and  to  evade  it  is  beyond  the  power  of  man.  Yes, 
they  show  the  very  day,  although  we  are  not  always  able  to 
read  them  correctly. 

Perhaps  the  most  striking  instance  known  to  the  writer 


162  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

of  this  inability  to  escape  what  is  written  in  the  stars, 
though  perfectly  cognizant  of  it,  occurred  in  Los  Angeles, 
California,  in  1906.  Some  instructions  in  astrology  were 
given  to  Mr.  L.,  a  well-known  lecturer.  Mr.  L.'s  own 
horoscope  was  taken  up,  because  a  pupil  will  be  more  in- 
terested in  that  than  in  the  nativity  of  a  stranger.  He  is 
also  enabled  to  check  the  accuracy  of  the  interpretation 
of  the  signs  which  are  given  him.  The  horoscope  revealed 
a  liability  to  accidents  and  Mr.  L.  was  shown  how  acci- 
dents and  other  events  in  the  past  figured  to  the  time  of 
occurrence.  In  addition,  he  was  told  that  another  accident 
would  befall  him  and  that  it  would  occur  on  the  twenty- 
first  of  the  following  July,  or  the  seventh  day  after,  i.  e., 
on  the  twenty-eighth,  the  latter  day  being  regarded  as  the 
more  dangerous.  He  was  warned  against  conveyances  of 
any  kind  and  the  place  of  the  threatened  injury  was  desig- 
nated as  the  breast,  shoulders,  arms  and  lower  part  of  the 
head.  He  was  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  danger  and 
promised  to  remain  at  home  on  that  day. 

The  writer  went  north  to  Seattle  and  a  few  days  before 
the  critical  time  wrote  to  Mr.  L.  and  again  warned  him. 
Mr.  L.  answered  that  he  remembered  the  warning  and 
would  act  accordingly. 

The  next  communication  in  regard  to  the  matter  came 
from  a  mutual  friend,  who  stated  that  on  the  28th  of  July 
Mr.  L.  had  gone  to  Sierra  Madre  on  an  electric  car  which 
had  collided  with  a  railroad  train,  Mr.  L.  sustaining  in- 
juries of  the  exact  description  mentioned  and  also  having  a 
tendon  cut  in  the  left  leg. 

The  question  was  why  Mr.  L.,  having  entire  faith  in 
the  prediction,  had  disregarded  the  advice.  The  explana- 
tion came  three  months  later,  when  he  had  recovered  suffi- 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        163 

ciently  to  write.  The  letter  said,  "I  thought  the  28th  was 
the  29th." 

There  is  no  question  in  the  writer's  mind  that  this  was 
a  piece  of  "ripe"  fate,  impossible  to  escape,  which  was 
accurately  foreshown  by  the  stars. 

The  stars  may  therefore  be  called  the  "Clock  of  Des- 
tiny." The  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac  correspond  to  the 
dial;  the  Sun  and  the  planets  to  the  hour  hand,  which 
indicates  the  year ;  and  the  Moon  to  the  minute  hand,  indi- 
cating the  month  of  the  year  when  the  different  items  in 
the  score  of  ripe  fate  allotted  to  each  life  are  due  to  work 
themselves  out. 

It  cannot  be  sufficiently  emphasized,  however,  that 
though  there  are  some  things  that  cannr1  be  escaped,  man 
has  a  certain  scope  of  free  will  in  modifying  causes  already 
set  going.  A  poet  puts  it  thus: 

One  ship  sails  east  and  another  sails  west 

With  the  self -same  winds  that  blow. 
'Tis  the  set  of  the  sail  and  not  the  gale 

Which  determines  the  way  they  go. 

As  the  winds  of  the  sea  are  the  ways  of  fat* 

As  we  voyage  along  through  life, 
'Tis  the  act  of  the  soul  that  determines  the  goal, 

And  not  the  calm  or  the  strife. 

The  great  point  to  grasp  is  that  our  present  actions 
determine  future  conditions. 

Orthodox  religionists  and  even  those  who  profess  no 
religion  at  all,  often  bring  forward  as  one  of  their  strong- 
est objections  to  the  law  of  Eebirth  that  it  is  taught  in 
India  to  the  "ignorant  heathen,"  who  believe  in  it.  If  it 
is  a  natural  law,  however,  there  is  no  objection  strong 
enough  to  invalidate  it  or  make  it  inoperative.  Before 
we  speak  of  "ignorant  heathen,"  or  send  missionaries  to 
them,  it  might  be  well  to  examine  our  own  knowledge  a 


164  EOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

little.  Educators  everywhere  complain  of  superficiality  on 
the  part  of  our  students.  Professor  Wilbur  L.  Cross,  of 
Yale,  mentions  among  other  startling  cases  of  ignorance, 
the  fact  that  in  a  class  of  forty  students,  not  one  could 
"place"  Judas  Iscariot! 

It  would  seem  as  though  the  labors  of  missionaries  could 
profitably  be  diverted  from  "heathen"  countries  and  from 
slum  work  to  enlighten  the  college-bred  individuals  of  our 
own  country,  on  the  principle  that  "charity  begins  at 
home,"  and,  "as  God  will  not  let  the  ignorant  heathen 
perish"  it  would  seem  better  to  leave  him  in  ignorance  where 
he  is  sure  of  heaven,  than  to  enlighten  him  and  so  render 
his  chances  of  going  to  hell  legion.  Surely,  this  is  a  case 
of  "Where  ignorance  is  bliss  'tis  folly  to  be  wise."  We 
would  be  doing  ourselves  and  the  heathen  a  signal  service 
by  letting  him  alone  and  looking  after  the  ignorant  Chris- 
tian nearer  home. 

Moreover,  to  call  this  a  heathen  doctrine  does  not  dis- 
prove it.  Its  assumed  priority  in  the  East  is  no  more  an 
argument  against  it  than  the  accuracy  of  the  solution  of  a 
mathematical  problem  is  invalidated  because  we  do  not 
happen  to  like  the  person  who  first  solved  it.  The  only 
question  is,  is  it  correct  ?  If  so,  it  is  absolutely  immaterial 
whence  the  solution  first  came. 

All  other  religions  have  been  but  leading  up  to  the 
Christian  religion.  They  were  Eace  Eeligions  and  con- 
tain only  in  part  that  which  Christianity  has  in  fuller 
measure.  The  real  Esoteric  Christianity  has  not  yet  been 
taught  publicly,  nor  will  it  be  so  taught  until  humanity 
has  passed  the  materialistic  stage  and  becomes  fitted  to 
receive  it.  The  laws  of  Rebirth  and  Consequence  have 
been  secretly  taught  all  the  time,  but,  by  the  direct  Com- 
mand of  Christ  Himself,  as  we  shall  see,  these  two  laws 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        165 

have  not  been  publicly  taught  in  the  Western  world  for 
the  past  two  thousand  years. 

WINE  AS  A  FACTOR  IN  EVOLUTION. 

To  understand  the  reason  for  this  omission  and  the 
means  employed  to  obscure  these  teachings,  we  must  go 
back  to  the  beginning  of  man's  history  and  see  how,  for 
his  good,  he  has  been  led  by  the  Great  Teacher  of  human- 

ity. 

In  the  teaching  of  occult  science  the  stages  of  develop- 
ment on  the  earth  are  divided  into  periods  called 
"Epochs."  There  have  been  four  of  these  Epochs,  which 
are  designated  as  follows,  respectively:  The  Polarian,  the 
Hyperborean,  the  Lemurian,  the  Atlantean.  The  present 
Epoch  is  called  the  Aryan  Epoch. 

In  the  First  or  Polarian  Epoch,  what  is  now  humanity 
had  only  a  dense  body,  as  the  minerals  have  now,  hence 
he  was  mineral-like. 

In  the  Second  or  Hyperborean  Epoch,  a  vital  body  was 
added  and  man-in-the-making  possessed  a  body  constituted 
as  are  those  of  plants.  He  was  not  a  plant,  but  was  plant- 
like. 

In  the  Third  or  Lemurian  Epoch,  he  obtained  his  desire 
body  and  became  constituted  like  the  animal — an  animal- 
man. 

In  the  Fourth  or  Atlantean  Epoch,  mind  was  unfolded 
and  now,  so  far  as  his  principles  are  concerned,  he  steps 
upon  the  stage  of  physical  life  as  MAN. 

In  the  present,  the  Fifth  or  Aryan  Epoch,  man  will  in 
some  degree  unfold  the  third  or  lowest  aspect  of  his  three- 
fold spirit — the  Ego. 

The  student  is  requested  to  strongly  impress  upon  his 


166  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

mind  the  emphatic  statement  that  in  the  process  of  evolu- 
tion up  to  the  time  when  man  gained  self -consciousness, 
absolutely  nothing  was  left  to  chance. 

After  gaining  self-consciousness  there  is  a  certain  scope 
for  the  exercise  of  man's  own  individual  will  to  enable 
unfold  his  Divine  spiritual  powers. 

The  great  Leaders  of  mankind  take  everything  into 
consideration,  the  food  of  man  included.  This  has  a 
great  deal  to  do  with  his  development.  "Tell  me  what 
you  eat  and  I  will  tell  you  what  you  are"  is  not  a  far- 
fetched idea,  but  a  great  truth  in  nature. 

The  man  of  the  first  Epoch  was  ethereal.  That  does 
not  contradict  the  statement  that  he  was  mineral-like,  for 
all  gases  are  mineral.  The  Earth  was  still  soft,  not  yet 
having  solidified.  In  the  Bible  man  is  called  Adam  and 
it  is  said  that  he  was  made  of  earth. 

Cain  is  described  as  an  agriculturist.  He  symbolizes 
the  man  of  the  Second  Epoch.  He  had  a  vital  body  like 
the  plants  which  sustained  him. 

In  the  Third  Epoch  food  was  obtained  from  living 
animals  to  supplement  the  former  plant  food.  Milk  was 
the  means  used  for  evolving  the  desire  body,  which  made 
the  mankind  of  that  time  animal-like.  This  is  what  is 
meant  by  the  Bible  statement  that  "Abel  was  a  shepherd." 
It  is  nowhere  stated  that  he  killed  animals. 

In  the  Fourth  Epoch  man  had  evolved  beyond  the  ani- 
mal— he  had  mind.  Thought  breaks  clown  nerve  cells; 
kills,  destroys  and  causes  decay.  Therefore  the  food  of 
the  Atlantean  was,  by  analogy,  dead  carcasses.  He  killed 
to  eat  and  that  is  why  the  Bible  states  that  "Nimrod  was 
a  mighty  hunter."  Nimrod  represents  the  man  of  the 
Fourth  Epoch. 

In  the  meanwhile,  man  had  descended  deeper  and  deeper 


EEBIBTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        167 

into  matter.  His  former  ethereal  body  formed  the  skel- 
eton within  and  had  become  solid.  He  had  also  lost  by 
degrees  the  spiritual  perception  which  was  possessed  by 
him  in  the  earlier  Epochs.  Thus  it  was  designed.  He  is 
destined  to  get  it  back  at  a  higher  stage,  plus  the  self- 
consciousness  which  he  did  not  then  possess.  He  had, 
however,  during  the  first  four  Epochs,  a  greater  knowl- 
edge of  the  spiritual  world.  He  knew  he  did  not  die  and 
that  when  one  body  wasted  away  it  was  like  the  drying 
of  a  leaf  from  the  tree  in  the  autumn — another  body  would 
grow  to  take  its  place.  Therefore  he  had  no  real  apprecia- 
tion of  the  opportunities  and  advantages  of  this  Earth  life 
of  concrete  existence. 

But  it  was  necessary  that  he  should  become  thoroughly 
awake  to  the  great  importance  of  this  concrete  existence, 
so  that  he  might  learn  from  it  all  that  could  be  learned. 
So  long  as  he  felt  that  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  higher 
Worlds  and  knew  for  a  certainty  that  physical  life  is  but  a 
small  part  of  real  existence,  he  did  not  take  it  seriously 
enough.  He  did  not  apply  himself  to  the  cultivation  of 
the  opportunities  for  growth  which  are  found  only  in  the 
present  phase  of  existence.  He  dallied  his  time  away  with- 
out developing  the  resources  of  the  world,  as  do  the  people 
of  India  today,  for  the  same  reason. 

The  only  way  in  which  an  appreciation  of  concrete 
physical  existence  could  be  aroused  in 'man  was  by  depriv- 
ing him  of  the  memory  of  his  higher,  spiritual  existence 
for  a  few  incarnations.  Thus,  during  his  Earth  life,  he 
came  to  hold  no  positive  knowledge  of  any  other  than  the 
one  present  physical  life,  and  was  in  this  way  impelled 
to  earnestly  apply  himself  to  living  it. 

There  had  been  religions  previous  to  Christianity  which 
had  taught  Rebirth  and  the  law  of  Consequence,  but  the 


168  ROSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

time  had  now  come  when  it  was  no  longer  conducive 
to  man's  advancement  that  he  should  know  this  doctrine, 
and  ignorance  concerning  it  came  to  be  regarded  as  a  sign 
of  progress.  This  one  single  life  was  to  be  made  para- 
mount. Therefore  we  find  that  the  Christian  Religion,  as 
publicly  taught,  does  not  embody  the  laws  of  Consequence 
and  Eebirth.  Nevertheless,  as  Christianity  is  the  religion 
of  the  most  advanced  Race,  it  must  be  the  most  advanced 
Religion,  and  because  of  the  elimination  of  this  doctrine 
from  its  public  teachings,  the  conquest  of  the  world  of 
matter  is  being  made  by  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  Teutonic 
races,  in  which  this  phase  has  been  carried  furthest. 

As  some  new  addition  to  or  change  in  the  food  of  man 
had  been  made  in  every  Epoch  to  meet  its  conditions  and 
accomplish  its  purposes,  we  now  find  added  to  the  food 
of  the  previous  Epochs  a  new  article — WINE.  It  was 
needed  on  account  of  its  benumbing  effect  upon  the  spir- 
itual principle  in  man,  because  no  religion,  in  and  of 
itself,  could  have  made  man  forget  his  nature  as  a  spirit 
and  have  caused  him  to  think  of  himself  as  "a  worm  of  the 
dust,"  or  made  him  believe  that  "we  walk  with  the  same 
force  with  which  we  think" — indeed,  it  was  never  in- 
tended that  he  should  go  so  far  as  that. 

Hitherto  only  water  had  been  used  as  a  drink  and  in 
the  ceremonies  of  the  Temple  service,  but  after  the  sub- 
mergence of  Atlantis — a  continent  which  once  existed  be- 
tween Europe  and  America,  where  the  Atlantic  Ocean  now 
lies — those  who  escaped  destruction  began  to  cultivate 
the  vine  and  make  wine,  as  we  find  narrated  in  the  Bible 
story  of  Noah.  Noah  symbolizes  the  remnant  of  the  At- 
lantean  Epoch,  which  became  the  nucleus  of  the  Fifth 
Race — therefore  our  progenitors. 

The  active  principle  of  alcohol  is  a  "spirit"  and  as  the 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        169 

humanity  of  the  earlier  Epochs  used  the  articles  of  food 
best  suited  to  their  vehicles,  so  this  spirit  was,  in  the  Fifth 
Epoch,  added  to  the  foods  previously  used  by  evolving 
humanity.  It  acts  upon  the  spirit  of  the  Fifth  Epoch 
man,  temporarily  paralyzing  it,  that  it  may  know,  esteem 
and  conquer  the  physical  world  and  value  it  at  its  proper 
worth.  Thus  man  forgets,  for  the  time  being,  his  spir- 
itual home,  clinging  to  this  form  of  existence,  which  he 
has  previously  despised,  with  all  the  tenacity  born  of  a 
feeling  that  this  is  all  there  is — or  at  least,  preferring 
the  certainty  of  this  world  to  taking  chances  on  a  heaven 
which,  in  his  present  muddled  state,  he  does  not  under- 
stand. 

Water  only  had  been  used  in  the  Temples,  but  now  this 
is  altered.  "Bacchus,"  a  god  of  wine,  appears  and  under 
his  sway  the  most  advanced  nations  forget  that  there  is  a 
higher  life.  None  who  offer  tribute  to  the  counterfeit 
spirit  of  wine  or  any  alcoholic  liquor  (the  product  of 
fermentation  and  decay)  can  ever  know  anything  of  the 
higher  Self — the  true  Spirit  which  is  the  very  source  of 
life. 

All  this  was  preparatory  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  and 
it  is  of  the  highest  significance  that  His  first  act  was  to 
change  "water  into  wine."  (John  ii:ll.) 
,  In  private  He  taught  Rebirth  to  His  disciples.  He  not 
only  taught  them  in  words,  but  He  took  them  "into  the 
mountain."  This  is  a  mystic  term  meaning  a  place  of 
Initiation.  In  the  course  of  Initiation  they  see  for  them- 
selves that  Rebirth  is  a  fact,  for  there  Elijah  appeared 
before  them,  who,  they  are  told,  is  also  John  the  Baptist. 
Christ,  in  unequivocal  terms,  had  previously  told  them, 
when  speaking  of  John  the  Baptist,  "this  is  Elijah  who 
was  for  to  come."  He  reiterates  this  at  the  transfigura- 


170  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

tion  scene,  saying,  "Elijah  has  come  already  and  they 
knew  him  not,  but  have  done  to  him  whatsoever  they 
listed."  And  following  this,  it  is  said  that  "they  under- 
stood He  spake  of  John  the  Baptist"  (Matt.  xvii:12-13). 
On  this  occasion,  and  also  at  the  time  when  Rebirth  was 
discussed  between  Him  and  His  disciples,  they  told  Him 
that  some  thought  He  was  Elijah  and  others  that  He 
was  one  of  the  prophets  who  had  reincarnated.  He  com- 
manded them  to  "tell  no  man."  (Matt.  xvii:9;  Luke 
ix:21.)  This  was  to  be,  for  thousands  of  years,  an 
esoteric  teaching,  to  be  known  only  among  the  few  pio- 
neers who  fitted  themselves  for  the  knowledge,  pushing 
ahead  to  the  stage  of  development  when  these  truths  will 
again  be  known  to  man. 

That  Christ  taught  Rebirth  and  also  the  law  of  Con- 
sequence is  perhaps  shown  in  no  other  place  as  clearly 
as  in  the  case  of  the  man  who  had  been  born  blind,  where 
His  disciples  asked,  "Who  did  sin,  this  man  or  his  parents, 
that  he  was  born  blind?"  (John  ix:2). 

Had  Christ  not  taught  Rebirth  and  the  law  of  Conse- 
quence, the  natural  answer  would  have  been,  "Nonsense ! 
how  could  the  man  have  sinned  before  lie  was  born,  and 
have  brought  blindness  upon  himself  as  a  result?"  But 
Christ  does  not  answer  in  that  way.  He  is  not  surprised 
at  the  question,  nor  does  He  treat  it  as  being  at  all 
unusual,  showing  that  it  was  quite  in  harmony  with  His 
teachings.  He  explains,  "Neither  hath  this  man  sinned, 
nor  his  parents;  but  that  the  works  of  (the)  God  should 
be  made  manifest  in  him." 

The  orthodox  interpretation  is  that  the  man  was  born 
blind  in  order  that  Christ  might  have  the  opportunity  of 
performing  a  miracle  to  show  His  power.  It  would  have 
been  a  strange  way  for  a  God  to  obtain  glory — capriciously 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        171 

condemning  a  man  to  many  years  of  blindness  and  misery 
that  He  might  "show  off"  at  a  future  time!  We  would 
consider  a  man  who  acted  in  such  a  manner  a  monster 
of  cruelty. 

How  much  more  logical  to  think  that  there  may  be 
another  explanation.  To  impute  to  God  conduct  which,  in 
a  human  being,  we  would  denounce  in  the  strongest  terms, 
is  surely  unreasonable. 

Christ  differentiates  between  the  physically  blind  body 
of  the  man  and  the  God  within,  which  is  the  Higher  Self. 

The  dense  body  has  committed  no  sin.  The  God  within 
has  done  some  deed  which  manifests  in  the  particular 
affliction  from  which  he  is  suffering.  It  is  not  stretching 
a  point  to  call  a  man  a  God.  Paul  says,  "know  ye  not 
that  ye  are  Gods?"  and  he  refers  to  the  human  body  as 
the  "temple  of  God,"  the  indwelling  spirit. 

Finally,  although  most  people  do  not  remember  their 
past  lives,  there  are  some  who  do,  and  all  may  know  if 
they  will  live  the  life  necessary  to  attain  the  knowledge. 
This  requires  great  strength  of  character,  because  such 
knowledge  will  carry  with  it  a  knowledge  of  impending 
fate  that  may  be  hanging  black  and  sinister  over  one, 
which  will  manifest  in  dire  disaster.  Nature  has  gra- 
ciously hidden  the  past  and  the  future  from  us,  that  we 
may  not  be  robbed  of  peace  of  mind  by  suffering  in  antici- 
pation of  the  pain  in  store  for  us.  As  we  attain  greater 
development  we  shall  learn  to  welcome  all  things  with 
equanimity,  seeing  in  all  troubles 'the  result  of  past  evil 
and  feeling  thankful  that  the  obligations  incurred  thereby 
are  being  annulled,  knowing  that  so  much  less  stands 
between  us  and  the  day  of  liberation  from  the  wheel  of 
birth  and  death. 

When  a  person  dies  in  childhood  in  one  life,  he  or  she 


172  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

not  infrequently  remembers  that  life  in  the  next  incarna- 
tion, because  children  under  14  years  do  not  journey 
around  the  entire  life  cycle,  which  necessitates  the  build- 
ing of  a  complete  set  of  new  vehicles.  They  simply  pass 
into  the  upper  Eegions  of  the  Desire  World  and  there 
wait  for  a  new  incarnation,  which  usually  takes  place  in 
from  one  to  twenty  years  after  death.  When  they  rein- 
carnate, they  bring  with  them  the  old  mind  and  desire 
body,  and  if  we  listened  to  the  prattle  of  children,  we 
should  often  be  able  to  discover  and  reconstruct  such 
stories  as  the  following: 

A  REMARKABLE  STORY. 

One  day  in  Santa  Barbara,  Cal.,  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Eoberts  came  to  a  trained  clairvoyant  who  is  also  a  lecturer 
on  Theosophy  and  asked  for  help  in  a  perplexing  case. 
Mr.  Eoberts  had  been  walking  in  the  street  the  previous 
day  when  a  little  three-year-old  girl  came  up  to  him  and 
put  her  arms  around  his  knees,  calling  him  papa.  Mr. 
Eoberts  was  indignant,  thinking  that  someone  was  trying 
to  father  the  child  on  him.  But  the  mother  of  the  child 
who  came  up  directly,  was  equally  put  out  and  tried  to  get 
the  child  away.  The  child,  however,  kept  on  clinging 
to  Mr.  E.,  insisting  that  he  was  her  father.  On  account 
of  circumstances  to  be  told  later  Mr.  E.  could  not  put 
it  out  of  his  mind,  and  sought  out  the  clairvoyant,  who 
accompanied  him  to  the  house  of  the  child's  parents, 
where  the  little  girl  at  once  ran  up  to  Mr.  E.  and  again 
called  him  papa.  The  clairvoyant,  whom  I  will  call  X, 
first  took  the  child  over  to  the  window  to  note  whether 
the  iris  of  the  eye  would  expand  and  contract  when  he 
turned  her  to  and  from  the  light,  in  order  to  see  whether 
another  entity  than  the  rightful  owner  was  in  possession 


REBIRTH  AND  THE  LAW  OF  CONSEQUENCE        173 

of  the  child's  body,  for  the  eye  is  the  window  of  the  soul 
and  no  "obcessing"  entity  can  secure  control  of  that  part. 
Mr.  X.  found,  however,  that  the  child  was  normal,  and 
next  proceeded  to  question  the  little  one  carefully.  After 
patient  work  carried  on  intermittently  during  the  after- 
noon, so  as  not  to  tire  the  child,  this  is  the  story  she  told : 

She  had  lived  with  her  papa,  Mr.  Roberts,  and  another 
mamma  in  a  little  house  that  stood  all  alone,  where  no 
other  house  could  be  seen;  there  was  a  little  brook  close 
to  the  house  where  some  flowers  grew  (and  here  she  ran 
out  and  brought  in  some  "pussy-willows")  and  there  was 
a  plank  across  the  brook  which  she  was  cautioned  against 
crossing,  for  fear  she  might  fall  into  the  brook.  One  day 
her  papa  had  left  her  mother  and  herself  and  had  not 
returned.  When  their  supply  of  food  was  exhausted  her 
mamma  lay  down  on  the  bed  and  became  so  still.  At  last 
she  said  quaintly,  "then  I  also  died,  but  I  didn't  die.  I 
came  here." 

Mr.  Roberts  next  told  his  story.  Eighteen  years  before 
he  lived  in  London,  where  his  father  was  a  brewer.  He 
fell  in  love  with  their  servant  girl.  His  father  objected, 
so  he  eloped  with  her  to  Australia  after  they  had  first 
been  married.  Here  he  went  out  into  the  bush  and  cleared 
a  little  farm,  where  he  erected  a  small  cabin  by  a  brook, 
just  as  described  by  the  little  girl.  A  daughter  was  born 
to  them  there,  and  when  she  was  about  two  years  old  he 
left  the  house  one  morning  and  went  to  a  clearing  some 
distance  from  the  house,  and  while  there  a  man  with  a 
rifle  came  up  to  him,  saying  that  he  arrested  him  in  the 
name  of  the  law  for  a  bank  robbery  committed  on  the 
night  Mr.  R.  had  left  England.  The  officer  had  tracked 
him  here,  thinking  him  the  criminal.  Mr.  R.  begged  to 
be  allowed  to  go  to  his  wife  and  child,  but,  thinking  this 


174  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

a  ruse  to  entrap  him  into  the  hands  of  confederates,  the 
officer  refused  and  drove  him  to  the  coast  at  the  point  of 
the  gun.  He  was  taken  to  England  and  tried  and  his  in- 
nocence proven. 

First  then  did  the  authorities  take  heed  of  his  constant 
ravings  about  his  wife  and  child,  whom  he  knew  must 
starve  in  that  wild  and  lonely  country.  An  expedition 
was  sent  out  to  the  cabin,  when  it  was  found  that  only  the 
skeletons  of  the  wife  and  child  remained.  Mr.  Eoberts' 
father  had  died  in  the  meantime,  and  though  he  had 
disinherited  Mr.  E.,  his  brothers  divided  with  him  and  he 
came  to  America  a  broken  man. 

He  then  produced  photographs  of  himself  and  his  wife, 
and  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr.  X.  they  were  mixed  with  a 
number  of  other  photographs  and  shown  to  the  little  girl, 
who  unhesitatingly  picked  out  the  photographs  of  both 
her  alleged  parents,  although  the  photograph  shown  was 
very  different  from  the  present  appearance  of  Mr.  Eoberts. 


PART  II. 

Cosmogenesis  and  Anthropogenesis 


CHAPTER  V. 
THE  RELATION  OF  MAN  TO  GOD. 

IN  the  preceding  chapters  we  have  been  considering 
man  in  relation  to  three  of  the  five  Worlds  which 
form  the  field  of  his  evolution.  -We  have  partly  de- 
scribed these  Worlds  and  noted  the  different  vehicles  of 
consciousness  by  means  of  which  he  is  correlated  to  them. 
We  have  studied  his  relation  to  the  other  three  king- 
doms— mineral,  plant  and  animal — noting  the  difference 
in  vehicles,  and  consequent  difference  in  consciousness, 
between  man  and  each  of  these  kingdoms.  We  have  fol- 
lowed man  through  one  life  cycle  in  the  three  Worlds 
and  have  examined  the  operation  of  the  twin  laws  of 
Consequence  and  Rebirth  in  their  bearing  upon  the  evolu- 
tion of  man. 

In  order  to  understand  further  details  as  to  the  prog- 
ress of  man,  it  now  becomes  necessary  to  study  his  relation 
to  the  Grand  Architect  of  the  Universe — to  God  and  to 
the  Hierarchies  of  Celestial  Beings  which  stand  upon  the 
many  different  rungs  of  the  Jacob's  ladder  of  attainment 
that  stretches  from  man  to  God  and  beyond. 

This  is  a  task  of  the  utmost  difficulty,  rendered  still 
more  so  by  the  indefinite  conceptions  of  God  which  exist 
in  the  minds  of  the  majority  of  the  readers  of  literature 
dealing  with  this  subject.  It  is  true  that  names,  in  and 
of  themselves,  are  not  important,  but  it  matters  greatly 
that  we  know  what  we  mean  by  a  name ;  otherwise  misun- 

177 


Itk  Cosmic  Pi  &nfr  include  s  all 
i«6,  the  Sever?  worlds  btm<j 


IDorld  o^-  Virfirc   )pi 


World.  o^  Divine     iri 


"World  of  L'l^e  j)pimt 


Globe  \Dorldoj- 


Phvtic&l  UWld 


THE  RELATION  OF  MAN  TO  GOD  179 

derstanding  will  result,  and  if  a  common  nomenclature  is 
not  agreed  upon  by  writers  and  teachers,  the  present  con- 
fusion will  be  worse  confounded.  When  the  name  "God" 
is  used  it  is  always  uncertain  whether  The  Absolute,  The 
One  Existence,  is  meant;  or  The  Supreme  Being,  Who  is 
the  Great  Architect  of  the  Universe;  or  God,  Who  is  the 
Architect  of  our  Solar  System. 

The  division  of  the  Godhead  into  "Father,"  "Son"  and 
"Holy  Ghost''  is  also  confusing.  Although  the  Beings 
designated  by  these  names  are  immeasurably  above  man 
and  worthy  of  all  the  reverence  and  worship  he  is  capable 
of  rendering  to  his  highest  conceptions  of  Divinity,  yet 
They  are  different  from  one  another  in  actual  fact. 

Diagrams  6  and  12  will  perhaps  make  the  subject  clear. 
It  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  Worlds  and  Cosmic 
Planes  are  not  one  above  another  in  space,  but  that  the 
seven  Cosmic  Planes  inter-penetrate  each  other  and  all  the 
seven  Worlds.  They  are  states  of  spirit-matter,  permeating 
one  another,  so  that  God  and  the  other  great  Beings  who 
are  mentioned  are  not  far  away  in  space.  They  pervade 
every  part  of  their  own  realms  and  realms  of  greater 
density  than  their  own.  They  are  all  present  in  our  world 
and  are  actually  and  de  facto  "nearer  than  hands  and 
feet."  It  is  a  literal  truth  when  we  say  "in  Him  we  live 
and  move  and  have  our  being."  for  none  of  us  could 
exist  outside  these  great  Intelligences  Who  pervade  and 
sustain  our  world  with  Their  Life. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  Etheric  Region  extends 
beyond  the  atmosphere  of  our  dense  Earth ;  that  the  De- 
sire World  extends  out  into  space  further  than  the  Etheric 
Region;  also  that  the  World  of  Thought  extends  further 
into  inter-planetary  Space  than  either  of  the  others.  Of 
course,  the  Worlds  of  rarer  substance  occupy  a  larger  space 


180  BOS1CBUC1AN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

than  the  denser  World,  which  has  crystallized  and  con- 
densed, thus  occupying  less  space. 

The  same  principle  is  operative  in  the  Cosmic  planes. 
The  densest  of  them  is  the  seventh  (counting  from  the 
top  downward).  It  is  represented  in  the  diagram  as 
larger  than  any  of  the  others,  the  reason  heing  that  it 
is  the  plane  with  which  we  are  most  intimately  concerned, 
and  it  was  desired  to  indicate  its  principal  subdivisions. 
In  reality,  however,  it  occupies  less  space  than  any  of  the 
other  Cosmic  Planes,  although  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that,  even  with  this  camparatively  restrictive  qualification 
as  to  its  extent,  it  is  still  immeasurably  vast,  far  beyond 
the  utmost  power  of  the  human  mind  to  conceive,  com- 
prising within  its  limits  millions  of  Solar  Systems  similar 
to  our  own,  which  are  the  fields  for  the  evolution  of  many- 
grades  of  beings  of  approximately  our  own  status. 

Of  the  six  Cosmic  Planes  above  our  own  we  know 
nothing,  save  that  we  are  told  they  are  the  fields  of 
activity  of  great  Hierarchies  of  Beings  of  indescribable 
splendor. 

Proceeding  from  our  Physical  World  to  the  inner  and 
finer  Worlds  and  up  through  the  Cosmic  Planes,  we  find 
that  Go4,  the  Architect  of  our  Solar  System,  the  Source 
and  Goal  of  our  existence,  is  found  in  the  highest  division 
of  the  seventh  Cosmic  Plane.  This  is  His  World. 

His  Realm  includes  the  systems  of  evolution  carried  on 
in  the  other  planets  which  belong  to  our  system — Uranus, 
Saturn,  Jupiter,  Mars,  Earth,  Venus,  Mercury,  and  their 
satellite?. 

.The  great  Spiritual  Intelligences  designated  as  the 
Planetary  Spirits,  which  guide  these  evolutions,  are  called 
the  "Seven  Spirits  before  the  Throne."  They  are  His 
Ministers,  each  presiding  over  a  certain  department  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God — which  is  our  Solar  System.  The  Sun 


THL:  RELATION  OF  MAX  TO  GOD  igi 

is  also  the  field  of  evolution  of  the  most  exalted  Beings 
in  our  Cosmos.  They  alone  can  endure  and  advance  by 
means  of  the  terrific  solar  vibrations.  The  Sun  is  the 
nearest  approach  we  have  to  a  visible  symbol  of  God, 
yet  it  is  but  n  veil  for  That  which  is  behind.  What  That 
is  cannot  l>e  uttered  publicly. 

When  we  try  to  discover  the  origin  of  the  Architect  of 
our  Solar  System,  we  find  that  we  must  pass  to  the  highest 
of  the  seven  Cosmic  Planes.  We  are  then  in  the  Realm 
of  The  Supreme  Being,  Who  emanated  from  The  Absolute. 

The  Absolute  is  beyond  comprehension.  No  expression 
nor  simile  which  we  are  capable  of  conceiving  can  possibly 
convey  any  adequate  idea  Manifestation  implies  limita- 
tion. Therefore,  we  may  at  best  characterize  The  Abso- 
lute as  Boundless  Being;  as  the  Root  of  Existence. 

From  the  Root  of  Existence — The  Absolute — proceeds 
the  Supreme  Being,  at  the  dawn  of  manifestation.  This 
is  THE  ONE. 

In  the  first  chapter  of  John  this  Great  Being  is  called 
God.  From  this  Supreme  Being  emanates  The  Word,  the 
Creative  Fiat  "without  whom  was  not  anything  made," 
and  this  Word  is  the  alone-begotten  Son,  born  of  His 
Father  (the  Supreme  Being)  before  all  worlds — but  posi- 
tively not  Christ.  Grand  and  glorious  as  is  Christ,  tower- 
ing high  above  mere  human  nature,  He  is  not  this  Exalted 
Being.  Truly  "the  Word  was  made  flesh,"  but  not  in  the 
limited  sense  of  the  flesh  of  one  body,  but  the  flesh  of  all 
that  is,  in  this  and  millions  of  other  Solar  Systems. 

The  First  Aspect  of  the  Supreme  Being  may  be  char- 
acterized as  POWER.  From  this  proceeds  the  Second 
Aspect,  THE  WORD;  and  from  both  of  these  proceeds  the 
Third  Aspect,  MOTION. 

From  this  threefold  Supreme  Being  proceed  the  seven 


lS$->  HO8ICBUCIAM  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Great  Logoi.  They  contain  within  Themselves  all  the 
great  Hierarchies  which  differentiate  more  and  more  as 
They  diffuse  through  the  various  Cosmic  Planes.  (See 
diagram  (i.)  There  are  forty-nine  Hierarchies  on  the  sec- 
ond Cosmic  Plane;  on  the  third  there  are  343  Hierarchies. 
Each  of  these  is  capable  of  septenary  divisions  and  subdi- 
visions, so  that  in  the  lowest  Cosmic  Plane,  where  the 
Solar  Systems  manifest,  the  number  of  divisions  and  sub- 
divisions is  almost  infinite. 

In  the  Highest  World  of  the  seventh  Cosmic  Plane 
dwells  the  God  of  our  Solar  System  and  the  Gods  of  all 
other  Solar  Systems  in  the  Universe.  These  great  Beings 
are  also  threefold  in  manifestation,  like  The  Supreme 
Being.  Their  three  aspects  are  Will,  Wisdom  and  Activity. 

Each  of  the  seven  Planetary  Spirits  which  proceed 
from  God  and  have  charge  of  the  evolution  of  life  on  one 
of  the  seven  planets,  is  also  threefold  and  differentiates 
within  itself  Creative  Hierarchies  which  go  through  a 
septenary  evolution.  The  evolution  carried  on  by  one 
Planetary  Spirit  differs  from  the  methods  of  development 
inaugurated  by  each  of  the  others. 

It  may  be  further  stated  that,  at  least  in  the  particular 
planetary  scheme  to  which  we  belong,  the  entities  farthest 
evolved  in  the  earliest  stages,  who  had  reached  a  high 
stage  of  perfection  in  previous  evolutions,  assume  the  func- 
tions of  the  original  Planetary  Spirit  and  continue  the 
evolution,  the  original  Planetary  Spirit  withdrawing  from 
active  participation,  but  guiding  its  Eegents. 

The  foregoing  is  the  teaching  relative  to  all  the  Solar 
Systems,  but  coming  down  to  the  particular  System  to 
which  we  belong,  the  following  is  the  teaching  which  the 
sufficiently  trained  Seer  can  obtain  for  himself  by  per- 
sonal investigation  of  the  memory  of  nature. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  SCHEME  OF  EVOLUTION. 

• 

The  Beginning. 

IN  harmony  with  the  Hermetic  axiom  "As  above,  so 
below''  and  vice  versa,  Solar  Systems  are  born,  die 
and  come  to  birth  anew  in  cycles  of  activity  and  rest, 
as  does  man. 

There  is  a  constant  flaming  out  and  dying  down  of 
activity  in  every  department  of  nature,  corresponding  to 
the  alternations  of  ebb  and  flow,  day  and  night,  summer 
and  winter,  life  and  death. 

In  the  beginning  of  a  Day  of  Manifestation  it  is  taught 
that  a  certain  Great  Being  (designated  in  the  Western 
World  by  the  name  of  God,  but  by  other  names  in  other 
parts  of  the  earth)  limits  Himself  to  a  certain  portion 
of  space,  in  which  He  elects  to  create  a  Solar  System 
for  the  evolution  of  added  self-consciousness.  (See  dia- 
gram 6.) 

He  includes  in  His  own  Being  hosts  of  glorious  Hier- 
archies of,  to  us,  immeasurable  spiritual  power  and  splen- 
dor. They  are  the  fruitage  of  past  manifestations  of  this 
same  Being  and  also  other  Intelligences,  in  descending 
degrees  of  development  down  to  such  as  have  not  reached 
a  stage  of  consciousness  as  high  as  our  present  humanity, 
and  therefore  these  latter  will  not  be  able  to  finish  their 
evolution  in  this  System.  In  God — this  great  collective 

183 


184:  HOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Being — there  are  contained  lesser  beings  of  every  grade  of 
intelligence  and  stage  of  consciousness,  from  omniscience 
to  an  unconsciousness  deeper  than  that  of  the  deepest 
trance  condition. 

During  the  period  of  manifestation  with  which  we  are 
concerned,  these  various  grades  of  beings  are  working  to 
acquire  more  experience  than  they  possessed  *at  the  begin- 
ning of  this  period  of  existence.  Those  who,  in  previous 
manifestations,  have  attained  to  the  highest  degree  of 
development  work  on  those  who  have  not  yet  evolved  any 
consciousness.  They  induce  in  them  a  stage  of  self-con- 
sciousness from  which  they  can  take  up  further  work 
themselves.  Those  who  had  started  their  evolution  in  a 
former  Day  of  Manifestation,  but  had  not  progressed  far 
at  the  close,  now  take  up  their  task  again,  just  as  we  take 
up  our  daily  work  in  the  morning  where  we  left  off  the 
previous  night. 

All  the  different  Beings,  however,  do  not  take  up  their 
evolution  at  the  early  stages  of  a  new  manifestation.  Some 
must  wait  until  those  who  precede  them  have  made  the 
conditions  which  are  necessary  for  their  further  develop- 
ment. There  are  no  instantaneous  processes  in  nature. 
All  is  an  exceedingly  slow  unfolding,  a  development  which, 
though  so  exceedingly  slow,  is  yet  absolutely  certain  to 
attain  ultimate  perfection.  Just  as  there  are  progressive 
stages  in  the  human  life — childhood,  youth,  manhood  or 
womanhood,  and  old  age — so  in  the  macrocosm  there  are 
different  stages  corresponding  to  these  various  periods  of 
the  microcosmic  life. 

A  child  cannot  take  up  the  duties  of  fatherhood  or 
motherhood.  Its  undeveloped  mental  and  physical  con- 
dition render  it  incapable  of  doing  such  work.  The  same 
is  true  of  the  less  evolved  beings  in  the  beginning  of  niaui- 


THE  SCHEME  OF  EVOLUTION  185 

festation.  They  must  wait  until  the  higher  evolved  have 
made  the  proper  conditions  for  them.  The  lower  the 
grade  of  the  intelligence  of  the  evolving  being,  the  more 
it  is  dependent  upon  outside  help. 

At  the  Beginning,  then,  the  highest  Beings — those  who 
are  the  farthest  evolved — work  upon  those  who  have  the 
greatest  degree  of  unconsciousness.  Later,  they  turn  them 
over  to  some  of  the  less  evolved  entities,  who  are  then 
able  to  carry  the  work  a  little  further.  At  last  self-con- 
sciousness is  awakened.  The  evolving  life  has  become 
Man. 

From  the  point  where  the  self-conscious  individual  ego 
has  come  into  being  he  must  go  on  and  expand  his  con- 
sciousness without  outside  help.  Experience  and  thought 
are  then  to  take  the  place  of  outside  teachers  and  the 
glory,  power  and  splendor  he  may  attain  are  limitless. 

The  period  of  time  devoted  to  the  attainment  of  self- 
consciousness  and  to  the  building  of  the  vehicles  through 
which  the  spirit  in  man  manifests,  is  called  "Involution." 

The  subsequent  period  of  existence,  during  which  the 
individual  human  being  develops  self-consciousness  into 
divine  omniscience,  is  called  "Evolution." 

The  Force  within  the  evolving  being  which  makes  evolu- 
tion what  it  is  and  not  a  mere  unfoldment  of  latent  ger- 
minal possibilities;  which  makes  the  evolution  of  each  indi- 
vidual differ  from  that  of,  every  other;  which  provides  the 
element  of  originality  and  gives  scope  to  the  creative 
ability  which  the  evolving  being  is  to  cultivate  that  he 
may  become  a  God — that  Force  is  called  "Genius,"  and,  as 
previously  explained,  its  manifestation  is  "Epigenesis." 

Many  of  the  advanced  philosophies  of  modern  times 
recognize  involution  and  evolution.  Science  recognizes 
only  the  latter,  because  it  (Science)  deals  only  with  the 


186  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Form  side  of  manifestation.  Involution  belongs  to  the 
Life  side;  but  the  most  advanced  scientists  regard  Epi- 
genesis  as  a  demonstrable  fact.  The  Rosicrucian  Cosmo- 
Conception  combines  all  three  as  necessary  to  full  under- 
standing of  the  past,  present  and  future  development  of 
the  System  to  which  we  belong. 

THE  WORLDS. 

We  might  use  a  homely  instance  to  illustrate  the  build- 
ing of  a  Cosmos.  Suppose  a  man  wants  to  establish  a 
home  in  which  to  live.  He  first  selects  a  suitable  location 
and  then  proceeds  to  buil  a  house,  dividing  it  into  various 
rooms  to  serve  certain  j  irposes.  He  makes  a  kitchen, 
dining-room,  bedrooms  an.*  bathroom,  and  furnishes  them 
all  to  suit  the  special  purpose  they  are  intended  to  serve. 

When  God  desires  to  create,  He  seeks  out  an  appropriate 
place  in  space,  which  He  fills  with  His  aura,  permeating 
every  atom  of  the  Cosmic  Root-substance  of  that  particular 
portion  of  space  with  His  Life,  thus  awakening  the  activ- 
ity latent  within  every  tnseparate  atom. 

This  Cosmic  Root-substance  is  an  expression  of  the 
negative  pole  of  the  Universal  Spirit,  while  the  great 
Creative  Being  we  call  God  (of  whom  we,  as  spirits,  are 
part)  is  an  expression  of  the  positive  energy  of  the  same 
Universal  Absolute  Spirit.  From  the  work  of  one  upon 
the  other,  all  that  we  see  about  us  in  the  Physical  World 
has  resulted.  The  oceans,  the  Earth,  everything  we  see 
manifesting  as  mineral,  plant,  animal  and  human  forms 
• — all  are  crystallized  space,  emanated  from  this  negative 
Spirit-substance,  which  alone  existed  at  the  dawn  of  Being. 
As  surely  as  the  hard  and  flinty  house  of  the  snail  is  the 
solidified  juices  of  its  soft  body,  so  surely  all  forms  are 
cr3rstallizations  around  the  negative  pole  of  Spirit. 


THE  SCHEME  OF  EVOLUTION  187 

God  draws  from  the  Cosmic  Root-substance  outside  His 
immediate  sphere;  thus  the  substance  within  the  nascent 
cosmos  becomes  denser  than  it  is  in  Universal  space,  be- 
tween Solar  Systems. 

When  God  has  thus  prepared  the  material  for  His 
Habitation,  He  next  sets  it  in  order.  Every  part  of  the 
system  is  pervaded  by  His  consciousness,  but  .a  different 
modification  of  that  consciousness  in  each  part  or  divi- 
sion. The  Cosmic  Root-substance  is  set  in  varying  rates 
of  vibration  and  is  therefore  differently  constituted  in  its 
various  divisions,  or  regions. 

The  above  is  the  manner  in  which  the  Worlds  come  into 
being  and  are  fitted  to  serve  different  purposes  in  the  evo- 
lutionary scheme,  the  same  as  the  various  rooms  in  the 
house  are  fitted  to  serve  the  purposes  of  everyday  life  in 
the  Physical  World. 

We  have  already  seen  that  there  are  seven  Worlds.  These 
Worlds  have  each  a  different  "measure"  and  rate  of  vibra- 
tion. In  the  densest  World  (the  Physical)  the  measure  of 
vibration,  though  in  the  case  of  light-waves  reaching  a 
rate  of  hundreds  of  millions  per  second,  is  nevertheless  in- 
finitesimal when  compared  to  the  rapidity  of  the  vibration 
in  the  Desire  World,  which  is  next  to  the  Physical.  To 
get  some  conception  of  the  meaning  and  rapidity  of  vibra- 
tion, perhaps  the  easiest  way  is  to  watch  the  heat  vibrations 
rising  from  a  very  hot  stove,  or  from  a  steam  radiator 
near  a  window. 

It  must  be  borne  constantly  in  mind  that  these  Worlds 
are  not  separated  by  space  or  distance,  as  is  the  earth 
from  the  other  planets.  They  are  states  of  matter,  of  vary- 
ing density  and  vibration,  as  are  the  solids,  liquids  and 
gases  of  our  Physical  World.  These  Worlds  are  not  in- 
stantaneously created  at  the  beginning  of  a  Day  of  Mani- 


388  KOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPT IOX 

festation,  nor  do  they  last  until  the  end;  but  as  a  spider 
spins  its  web  thread  by  thread,  so  God  differentiates  one 
after  another  of  the  Worlds  within  Himself,  as  the  neces- 
sity arises  for  new  conditions  in  the  scheme  of  evolution 
in  which  He  is  engaged.  Thus  have  all  the  seven  Worlds 
been  gradually  differentiated  as  they  are  at  present. 

The  highest  Worlds  are  created  first,  and  as  involution 
is  to  slowly  carry  the  life  into  denser  and  denser  matter 
for  the  building  of  forms,  the  finer  Worlds  gradually  con- 
dense and  new  Worlds  are  differentiated  within  God  to 
furnish  the  necessary  links  between  Himself  and  the 
Worlds  which  have  consolidated.  In  due  time  the  point 
of  greatest  density,  the  nadir  of  materiality,  is  reached. 
From  that  point  the  life  begins  to  ascend  into  higher 
Worlds,  as  evolution  proceeds.  That  leaves  the  denser 
Worlds  depopulated,  one  by  one.  When  the  purpose  has 
been  served  for  which  a  particular  World  was  created,  God 
ends  its  existence,  which  has  become  superfluous,  by  ceas- 
ing within  Himself  the  particular  activity  which  brought 
into  being  and  sustained  that  World. 

The  highest  (finest,  rarest,  most  ethereal)  Worlds  are 
the  first  created  and  the  last  eliminated,  while  the  three 
densest  Worlds,  in  which  our  present  phase  of  evolution  is 
carried  on,  are  but  comparatively  evanescent  phenomena 
incident  to  the  spirit's  dip  into  matter. 

THE  SEVEN  PERIODS. 

The  evolutionary  scheme  is  carried  through  these  five 
Worlds  in  seven  great  Periods  of  Manifestation,  during 
which  the  virgin  spirit,  or  evolving  life,  becomes  first, 
man — then,  a  God. 

At  the  beginning  of  Manifestation  God  differentiates 
within  (not  from)  Himself  these  virgin  spirits,  as  sparks 


THE  SCHEME  OF  EVOLUTION  189 

from  a  Flame,  of  the  same  nature,  capable  of  being  fanned 
into  Flames  themselves.  Evolution  is  the  fanning  process 
which  is  to  accomplish  that  end.  In  the  virgin  spirits  are 
enfolded  all  the  possibilities  of  their  Divine  Father,  in- 
cluding the  germ  of  independent.  Will,  which  makes  them 
capable  of  originating  new  phases,  not  latent  in  it.  The 
latent  possibilities  are  transformed  into  dynamic  powers 
and  available  faculties  during  evolution,  while  the  inde- 
pendent Will  institutes  new  and  original  departures — or 
Epigenesis. 

Prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  pilgrimage  through  mat- 
ter the  virgin  spirit  is  in  the  World  of  Virgin  Spirits,  the 
next  to  the  highest  of  the  seven  Worlds.  It  has  Divine 
Consciousness,  but  not  Self -consciousness.  That,  Soul- 
power,  and  the  Creative  Mind,  are  faculties  or  powers 
attained  to  by  evolution. 

When  the  virgin  spirit  is  immersed  in  the  World  of 
Divine  Spirit,  it  is  blinded  and  rendered  utterly  uncon- 
scious by  that  matter.  It  is  as  oblivious  to  outside  condi- 
tions as  is  man  when  in  the  deepest  trance.  This  state 
of  unconsciousness  prevails  during  the  first  period. 

In  the  Second  Period  it  rises  to  the  dreamless  sleep 
state ;  in  the  Third  Period  is  reaches  the  dream  stage,  and 
in  the  middle  of  the  Fourth  Period,  at  which  we  have  now 
arrived,  the  full  waking  consciousness  of  man  is  attained. 
This  is  a  consciousness  pertaining  to  only  the  lowest  one 
of  the  seven  Worlds.  During  the  remaining  half  of  this 
Period,  and  then  entire  three  remaining  Periods,  man 
must  expand  his  consciousness  so  as  to  include  all  of  the 
six  Worlds  above  this  Physical  World. 

When  man  passed  through  these  Worlds  in  his  descent 
his  energies  were  directed  by  higher  Being?,  who  assisted 
him  to  turn  his  unconscious  energy  inward  for  the  building 


100  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

of  proper  vehicles.  At  last,  when  he  was  far  enough  ad- 
vanced and  equipped  with  the  threefold  body  as  a  necessary 
instrument,  these  higher  Beings  "opened  his  eyes"  and 
turned  his  gaze  outward  upon  the  Chemical  Region  of  the 
Physical  World,  that  his  energies  might  conquer  it. 

When  he  has  fitted  himself  by  his  work  in  the  Chemical 
Region,  his  next  step  in  progress  will  be  towards  an  ex- 
.pansion  in  consciousness  that  will  include  the  Etheric 
Region;  then  the  Desire  World,  etc.,  etc. 

In  the  Rosicrucian  terminology,  the  names  of  the  seven 
Periods  are  as  follows: 


1.  The  Saturn  Period. 

2.  The  Sun  Period. 

3.  The  Moon  Period. 

4.  The  Earth  Period. 

5.  The  Jupiter  Period. 

6.  The  Venus  Period. 

7.  The  Vulcan  Period. 


These  periods  are  suc- 
cessive Rebirths  of  our 
Earth. 


It  must  not  be  thought  that  the  above-mentioned  Periods 
have  anything  to  do  with  the  planets  which  move  in  their 
orbits  around  the  sun  in  company  with  the  earth.  In  fact, 
it  cannot  be  too  emphatically  stated  that  there  is  no  con- 
nection whatever  between  these  planets  and  the  Periods. 
The  Periods  are  simply  past,  present  or  future  incarnations 
of  our  Earth,  "conditions"  through  which  it  has  passed, 
is  now  passing,  or  will  pass  in  the  future. 

The  three  first  mentioned  Periods  (the  Saturn,  Sun  and 
Moon  Periods)  have  been  passed  through.  We  are  now  in 
the  fourth,  or  Earth  Period.  When  this  Earth  Period  of 
our  Globe  has  been  completed,  we  and  it  shall  pass  in 
turn  through  the  Jupiter,  Venus  and  Vulcan  conditions 
before  the  great  septenary  Day  of  Manifestation  comes  to 


THE  SCHEME  OP  EVOLUTION  191 

an  end,  when  all  that  now  is  will  once  more  be  merged  in 
the  Absolute  for  a  period  of, rest  and  assimilation  of  the 
fruits  of  our  evolution,  to  re-emerge  for  further  and  higher 
development  at  the  dawn  of  another  Great  Day. 

The  three  and  one-half  Periods  already  behind  us  have 
been  spent  in  gaining  our  present  vehicles  and  conscious- 
ness. The  remaining  three  and  one-half  Periods  will  be 
devoted  to  perfecting  these  different  vehicles  and  expanding 
our  consciousness  into  something  akin  to  omniscience. 

The  journey  made  by  the  virgin  spirit  from  unconscious- 
ness to  omniscience,  unfolding  its  latent  possibilities  into 
a  kinetic  energy,  is  a  process  of  marvelous  complexity  and 
only  the  roughest  outline  will  at  first  be  given.  As  we 
progress  in  our  present  study,  however,  more  details  will  be 
filled  in,  until  the  picture  is  as  complete  as  the  writer  is 
capable  of  making  it.  The  attention  of  the  student  is 
called  to  the  definition  of  terms  that  are  given  as  new 
ideas  are  being  presented.  He  is  earnestly  importuned  to 
familiarize  himself  with  them,  as  the  intention  is  to  sim- 
plify the  matter  by  using  only  one  familiar  English  name 
for  the  same  idea  throughout  the  work.  The  name  will  be 
as  descriptive  as  possible  of  the  idea  to  be  conveyed,  in 
hope  that  thereby  much  of  the  confusion  arising  from  a 
multiplex  terminology  may  be  avoided.  By  paying  strict 
attention  to  definition  of  terms,  it  should  not  be  too  diffi- 
cult for  any  person  of  average  intelligence  to  acquire  a 
knowledge  of  at  least  the  outlines  of  the  scheme  of 
evolution. 

That  such  a  knowledge  is  of  the  utmost  importance  will, 
we  think,  be  conceded  by  every  intelligent  individual.  We 
live  in  this  world,  governed  by  the  laws  of  nature.  Under 
these  laws  we  must  live  and  work,  and  we  are  powerless 
to  change  them.  If  we  know  them  and  intelligently  oo- 


192  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

operate  with  them,  these  nature-forces  become  most  vain- 
able  servants,  e.  g.,  electricity  and  the  expansive  force  of 
steam.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  do  not  understand  them 
and  in  our  ignorance  work  contrary  to  them,  they  become 
most  dangerous  enemies,  capable  of  terrible  destruction. 

Therefore,  the  more  we  know  of  the  working  methods  of 
nature,  which  latter  is  but  the  visible  symbol  of  the  in- 
visible God,  the  better  able  we  shall  be  to  take  advantage 
of  the  opportunities  it  offers  for  growth  and  power;  for 
emancipation  from  bondage  and  for  elevation  to  mastery. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  PATH  OF  EVOLUTION. 

A  WORD  of  warning  in  regard  to  diagrams  used  for 
purposes  of  illustration  may  not  be  out  of  place. 
The  student  should  remember  that  anything  that  is 
reduced  into  another  dimension  can  never  be  accurate.  The 
picture  of  a  house  would  mean  little  or  nothing  to  us  if 
we  had  never  seen  a  house.  In  that  case  we  would  see  in 
the  picture  only  lines  and  blotches.  It  would  convey  no 
meaning  to  us.  Diagrams  used  to  illustrate  superphysical 
matters  are  much  less  true  representations  of  the  reality, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  in  the  case  of  the  picture,  the 
three-dimensional  house  is  only  reduced  to  two  dimensions, 
while  in  the  case  of  diagrams  of  the  Periods,  Worlds  and 
Globes,  the  realities  possess  from  four  to  seven  dimensions, 
and  the  diagrams  of  two  dimensions  by  which  it  is  endeav- 
ored to  represent  them  are  thus  so  much  further  removed 
from  the  possibility  of  correctly  portraying  them.  We 
must  constantly  bear  in  mind  that  these  Worlds  inter-pene- 
trate; that  the  Globes  inter-penetrate,  and  that  the  way 
they  are  shown  in  the  diagram  is  analogous  to  taking  all 
the  wheels  of  a  watch  and  laying  them  side  by  side  in  order 
to  show  how  the  watch  keeps  time.  If  these  diagrams  are 
to  be  of  any  use  to  the  student  they  must  be  spiritually 
conceived.  Otherwise  they  will  be  confusing  instead  of 
enlightening. 

194 


THE  PATH  OF  EVOLUTION  195 

REVOLUTIONS  AND  COSMIC  NIGHTS. 

The  Saturn  Period  is  the  first  of  the  seven  Periods,  and 
at  this  early  stage  the  virgin  spirits  take  their  first  step 
towards  the  evolution  of  Consciousness  and  Form.  By 
reference  to  diagram  7  it  will  be  seen  that  the  evolutionary 
impulse  travels  seven  times  around  the  seven  Globes,  A,  B, 
C,  D,  E,  F  and  G,  the  arrows  showing  the  direction. 

First,  a  part  of  the  evolution  is  accomplished  on  Globe 
A,  situated  in  the  World  of  Divine  Spirit,  the  rarest  of  the 
five  Worlds  which  form  our  field  of  evolution.  Then, 
gradually  the  evolving  life  is  transferred  to  Globe  B,  which 
is  located  in  the  somewhat  denser  World  of  Life  Spirit. 
Here  another  stage  of  evolution  is  passed  through.  In  due 
time  the  evolving  life  is  ready  to  enter  the  arena  on  Globe 
C,  which  is  situated  in  and  formed  of  the  yet  denser  sub- 
stance of  the  Region  of  Abstract  Thought.  After  learning 
the  lessons  peculiar  to  that  stage  of  existence,  the  life 
wave  travels  onward  to  Globe  D,  which  is  located  in  and 
formed  of  the  substance  of  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought. 
This  is  the  densest  degree  of  matter  reached  by  the  life 
wave  during  the  Saturn  Period. 

From  this  point  the  life  wave  is  carried  upward  again 
to  Globe  E,  which  is  situated  in  the  Region  of  Abstract 
Thought,  as  is  Globe  C,  yet  the  conditions  are  not  the  same 
as  on  Globe  C.  This  is  the  Involutionary  stage,  and  the 
substance  of  the  Worlds  is  getting  denser  all  the  time. 
The  tendency  in  everything  is  to  become  denser  and  more 
solid  as  time  goes  on;  also,  as  the  path  of  evolution  is  a 
spiral,  it  will  be  clear  that,  though  the  same  points  are 
gone  over,  the  conditions  are  never  the  same,  but  are 
on  a  higher  and  more  advanced  plane. 

When  the  work  on  Globe  E  has  been  completed,  the 


196  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

next  step  is  taken  on  Globe  F,  which  is  situated  in  the 
World  of  Life  Spirit,  the  same  as  Globe  B;  thence  it 
mounts  to  Globe  G.  When  the  work  there  is  done,  the 
life  wave  has  traveled  once  around  all  the  seven  Globes; 
once  down  and  up  through  the  four  respective  Worlds. 
This  journey  of  the  life  wave  is  called  a  Revolution,  and 
peven  Eevolutions  make  one  Period.  During  one  Period 
the  life  wave  travels  seven  times  down  and  up  through  the 
four  Worlds. 

When  the  life  wave  has  traveled  its  full  complement  of 
seven  times  around  the  seven  Globes,  completing  the  seven 
Revolutions,  the  first  Day  of  Creation  closes  and  there  fol- 
lows a  Cosmic  Night  of  rest  and  assimilation,  after  which 
the  Sun  Period  dawns. 

Like  the  night  of  sleep  between  two  days  of  human  life 
and  the  interval  of  rest  between  two  earth  lives,  this  Cosmic 
Night  of  rest  after  the  completion  of  the  Saturn  Period 
is  not  a  time  of  passive  repose,  but  a  season  of  preparation 
for  the  activity  to  be  unfolded  in  the  coming  Sun  Period, 
where  man-in-the-making  is  to  take  a  further  dip  into 
matter.  Therefore,  new  Globes  are  necessary,  the  positions 
of  which  in  the  seven  Worlds  are  different  from  those  occu- 
pied by  the  Worlds  of  the  Saturn  Period.  The  providing 
of  these  new  Globes,  and  other  subjective  activities,  occupy 
the  evolving  spirits  during  the  interval  between  Periods — 
the  Cosmic  Night.  The  manner  of  procedure  is  as  follows : 

When  the  life  wave  has  left  Globe  A  in  the  Saturn 
Period  for  the  last  time,  the  Globe  begins  to  slowly  disin- 
tegrate. The  forces  which  built  it  are  transferred  from 
the  World  of  Divine  Spirit  (where  Globe  A  is  located 
during  the  Saturn  Period)  to  the  World  of  Life  Spirit 
(where  Globe  A  is  located  during  the  Sun  Period).  This 
is  shown  on  diagram  8. 


198  ROSICRUCiAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

When  the  life  wave  has  left  Globe  B  in  the  Saturn 
Period  for  the  last  time,  it  also  commences  to  disintegrate, 
and  the  forces  thereof,  like  the  seed-atom  of  a  human 
vehicle,  are  used  as  a  nucleus  for  Globe  B  in  the  Sun 
Period,  this  Globe  being  then  located  in  the  Region  of 
Abstract  Thought. 

In  like  manner  the  forces  of  Globe  C  are  transferred 
to  the  Region  of  Concrete  Thought  and  draw  upon  the 
substance  of  that  Region  for  the  material  wherewith  to 
build  a  new  Globe  C  for  the  coming  Sun  Period.  Globe  D 
is  similarly  transmuted  and  placed  in  the  Desire  World. 
Globes  E,  F  and  G,  in  order  named,  are  analogously  trans- 
ferred. The  result  is  (as  reference  to  diagram  8  will  show) 
that  in  the  Sun  Period  all  the  Globes  are  located  one  step 
further  down  into  denser  matter  than  they  were  in  the 
Saturn  Period,  so  that  the  life  wave,  upon  its  emergence 
from  the  Cosmic  Night  of  Rest  intervening  between  the 
last  activity  on  Globe  G  of  the  Saturn  Period  and  the 
renewed  activity  on  Globe  A  of  the  Sun  Period  finds  a  new 
environment,  with  the  opportunity  thus  afforded  for  new 
experiences. 

The  life  wave  now  circles  seven  times  around  the  seven 
Globes  during  the  Sun  Period,  traversing  seven  times  down 
and  up  the  four  Worlds  or  Regions  in  which  these  Globes 
are  located.  It  makes  seven  Revolutions  in  the  Sun  Period, 
as  it  did  in  the  Saturn  Period. 

When  the  life  wave  leaves  Globe  A  in  the  Sun  Period 
for  the  last  time,  that  Globe  begins  to  disintegrate.  Its 
forces  are  transferred  to  the  denser  Region  of  Abstract 
Thought,  where  they  form  a  planet  to  be  used  during  the 
Moon  Period.  In  the  same  way,  the  forces  of  the  other 
Globes  are  transferred  and  serve  as  nuclei  for  the  Globes' 
of  the  Moon  Period,  as  shown  in  diagram  8,  the  process 


THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION  199 

being  exactly  the  same  as  when  the  Globes  were  removed 
from  (heir  locations  in  the  Saturn  Period  to  the  positions 
they  occupied  during  the  Sun  Period.  Thus  the  Globes 
of  the  Moon  Period  are  placed  one  step  further  down  in 
matter  than  they  were  during  the  Sun  Period,  the  lowest 
(Globe  D)  being  situated  in  the  Etheric  Eegion  of  the 
Physical  World. 

After  the  interim  of  Cosmic  Night  between  the  Sun 
Period  and  the  Moon  Period,  the  life  wave  starts  its  course 
on  Globe  A  of  the  latter,  completing  in  due  time  its  seven 
Revolutions,  as  before.  Then  there  is  another  Cosmic 
Night,  during  which  the  Globes  are  again  transferred  one 
step  further  down,  and  this  time  the  densest  Globe  is 
located  in  the  Chemical  Region  of  the  Physical  World,  as 
reference  to  diagram  8  will  show. 

This,  then,  is  the  Earth  Period  and  the  lowest  and 
densest  Globe  (Globe  D)  is  our  present  Earth. 

The  life  wave  here,  as  usual,  started  on  Globe  A,  after 
the  Cosmic  Night  succeeding  the  Moon  Period.  In  the 
present  Earth  Period  it  has  circled  three  times  around  the 
seven  Globes  and  is  now  on  Globe  D,  in  its  fourth 
Revolution. 

Here  on  earth  and  in  this  present  fourth  Revolution,  the 
greatest  density  of  matter — the  nadir  of  materiality — was 
reached  a  few  millions  of  years  ago.  The  tendency  hence- 
forth will  be  upward  into  rarer  substance.  During  the 
three  and  one-half  Revolutions  which  remain  to  complete 
this  Period,  the  condition  of  the  Earth  will  gradually  be- 
come more  and  more  ethereal,  and  in  the  next — the  Jupiter 
Period — Globe  D  will  again  be  located  in  the  Etheric 
Region,  as  it  was  in  the  Moon  Period,  the  other  Globes 
being  also  elevated  correspondingly. 

In  the  Venus  Period  they  will  be  located  in  the  same 


200  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Worlds  as  were  the  Globes  of  the  Sun  Period.  The  Globes 
of  the  Vulcan  Period  will  have  the  same  density  and  be 
located  in  the  same  Worlds  as  were  the  Globes  of  the 
Saturn  Period.  This  is  all  shown  on  diagram  8. 

When  the  life  wave  has  completed  its  work  in  the  Earth 
Period  and  the  Cosmic  Night  which  follows  is  past,  it  will 
go  through  its  seven  Revolutions  on  the  Globes  of  the 
Jupiter  Period.  Then  will  come  the  usual  Cosmic  Night, 
with  its  subjective  activities ;  after  which  the  seven  Revolu- 
tions of  the  Venus  Period;  then  another  rest,  succeeded 
by  the  last  of  the  Periods  of  the  present  scheme  of  evolu- 
tion— the  Vulcan  Period.  The  life  wave  also  makes  its 
seven  Revolutions  here,  and  at  the  end  of  the  last  Revo- 
lution all  the  Globes  are  dissolved  and  the  life  wave  is 
reabsorbed  by  God,  for  a  period  of  time  equal  in  duration 
to  that  occupied  by  all  of  the  seven  Periods  of  activity. 
God  Himself  then  merges  into  the  Absolute  during  the 
Universal  Night  of  assimilation  and  preparation  for  an- 
other Great  Day. 

Other  and  grander  evolutions  will  then  follow,  but  we 
can  deal  only  with  the  seven  Periods  described. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION. 
Ariadne's  Thread. 

HAVING  become  acquainted  with  the  Worlds,  the 
Globes  and  the  Revolutions  which  constitute  the 
path  of  evolution  during  the  seven  Periods,  we  are 
now  in  a  position  to  consider  the  work  which  is  done  in 
each  Period,  as  well  as  the  methods  employed  to  accom- 
plish it. 

The  "Ariadne's  thread"  which  will  guide  us  through 
the  maze  of  Globes,  Worlds,  Revolutions  and  Periods  will 
be  found  when  it  is  remembered  and  kept  steadily  in  mind 
that  the  virgin  spirits  which  constitute  the  evolving  life 
wave  became  entirely  unconscious  when  they  commenced 
their  evolutionary  pilgrimage  through  the  five  Worlds  of 
substance  denser  than  the  World  of  Virgin  Spirits.  The 
purpose  of  evolution  being  to  make  them  fully  conscious 
and  able  to  master  the  matter  of  all  the  Worlds,  therefore 
the  conditions  embodied  in  Globes,  Worlds,  Revolutions  and 
Periods  are  ordered  with  that  end  in  view. 

During  the  Saturn,  Sun  and  Moon  Periods  and  the 
past  half  of  the  present  Earth  Period,  the  virgin  spirits 
have  unconsciously  built  their  different  vehicles  under  the 
direction  of  exalted  Beings  who  guided  their  progress,  and 
have  gradually  awakened  until  they  have  attained  the 
present  state  of  waking  consciousness.  This  period  is 
called  "Involution." 

From  the  present  time  to  the  end  of  the  Vulcan  Period, 
201 


2Q2  ROS1CEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  virgin  spirits,  who  are  now  our  humanity,  will  perfect 
their  vehicles  and  expand  their  consciousness  in  the  five 
Worlds  by  their  own  efforts  and  genius.  This  period  is 
called  "Evolution." 

The  above  is  the  key  to  the  understanding  of  what 
follows. 

A  thorough  comprehension  of  the  scheme  of  planetary 
evolution  which  has  been  outlined  in  the  preceding  pages  is 
of  immense  value  to  the  student.  Although  some  believers 
i-  the  laws  of  Consequence  and  Kebirth  seem  to  think 
that  the  possession  of  such  knowledge  is  quite  non-essential 
and  of  little  use,  it  is  nevertheless  of  very  great  impor- 
tance to  the  earnest  student  of  these  two  laws.  It  trains 
the  mind  in  abstract  thought  and  elevates  it  above  the 
sordid  things  of  concrete  existence,  helping  the  imagina- 
tion to  soar  beyond  the  hampering  toils  of  self-interest. 
As  stated  in  our  study  of  the  Desire  World,  Interest  is  the 
mainspring  to  action,  yet,  at  our  present  stage  of  progress, 
Interest  is  generally  aroused  by  selfishness.  It  is  some- 
times of  a  very  subtle  nature,  but  it  spurs  to  action  of 
various  kinds.  All  action  inspired  by  Interest  generates 
certain  effects  which  act  on  us,  and  in  consequence  we  are 
bound  by  action  having  to  do  with  the  concrete  Worlds. 
But,  if  our  minds  are  occupied  with  such  subjects  as 
mathematics  or  study  of  the  planetary  phases  of  evolution, 
we  are  in  the  Region  of  purely  Abstract  Thought,  beyond 
the  influence  of  Feeling,  and  the  mind  is  directed  upward 
towards  the  spiritual  realms  and  liberation.  When  we  are 
extracting  cube  root,  or  multiplying  figures,  or  thinking  of 
Periods,  Revolutions,  etc.,  we  have  no  Feeling  about  it. 
We  do  not  quarrel  about  twice  two  being  four.  If  our 
feelings  were  involved  we  should  perhaps  try  to  make  it 
five  and  quarrel  with  the  one  who,  for  personal  reasons, 


THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION 

said  it  was  but  three,  but  in  mathematics  Truth  is  most 
clearly  apparent  and  Feeling  is  eliminated.  Therefore,  to 
the  average  man,  desiring  to  live  in  the  feelings,  mathe- 
matics is  dry  and  uninteresting.  Pythagoras  taught  his 
pupils  to  live  in  the  World  of  Eternal  Spirit  and  he  de- 
manded that  those  who  desired  instruction  from  him  should 
first  study  mathematics.  A  mind  capable  of  understanding 
mathematics  is  above  the  average  and  is  capable  of  rising 
into  the  World  of  Spirit,  because  it  is  not  fettered  in  the 
World  of  Feeling  and  Desire.  The  more  we  accustom  our- 
selves to  think  in  terms  of  the  Spiritual  Worlds,  the  better 
we  shall  be  able  to  rise  above  the  illusions  which  surround 
us  in  this  concrete  existence,  where  the  twin  feelings,  In- 
terest and  Indifference,  obscure  the  Truth  and  bias  us,  as 
the  refraction  of  the  light  rays  through  the  Earth's  atmos- 
phere gives  us  incorrect  ideas  of  the  position  of  the  lumi- 
nary emitting  them. 

Therefore  the  student  who  wishes  to  know  Truth;  to 
enter  and  investigate  the  realms  of  Spirit ;  to  free  himself 
from  the  toils  of  the  flesh,  as  rapidly  as  is  consistent  with 
safety  and  proper  growth,  is  earnestly  advised  to  study 
what  follows  as  thoroughly  as  possible ;  to  assimilate  it  and 
draw  mental  conceptions  of  these  Worlds,  Globes  and 
Periods.  If  he  wishes  to  progress  in  this  way,  the  study 
of  mathematics  and  of  Hinton's  "The  Fourth  Dimension" 
are  also  admirable  exercises  in  abstract  thought.  This 
work  of  Hinton's  (though  basically  incorrect,  because  the 
four-dimensional  Desire  World  cannot  be  actually  found  by 
three-dimensional  methods) ,  has  opened  the  eyes  of  several 
persons  who  have  studied  it,  and  made  them  clairvoyant. 
Moreover,  remembering  that  logic  is  the  best  teacher  in  any 
world,  it  is  certain  that  the  individual  who  succeeds  in 
entering  into  the  superphysical  World  by  means  of  such 


204  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

studies  in  abstract  thought,  will  not  become  confused,  but 
will  be  able  to  give  a  good  account  of  himself  under  all 
circumstances. 

A  stupendous  scheme  is  here  unfolded,  and  as  more  and 
more  detail  is  filled  in,  its  complexity  becomes  almost  in- 
conceivable. Anyone  capable  of  comprehending  it  will  be 
well  rewarded  for  taking  the  utmost  pains  to  do  so.  There- 
fore, the  student  should  read  slowly,  repeat  often,  think 
deeply  and  much. 

This  book,  particularly  this  chapter,  cannot  be  read  in  a 
casual  manner.  Every  sentence  has  weight  and  bearing 
upon  what  follows,  and  presupposes  a  knowledge  of  what 
precedes  it.  If  the  book  is  not  studied  thoroughly  and  sys- 
tematically, it  will  grow  more  and  more  incomprehensible 
and  confusing  with  every  page.  On  the  other  hand,  if  it 
is  studied  and  well  thought  out  as  the  student  proceeds, 
it  will  be  found  that  each  page  is  illuminated  by  the  in- 
creased knowledge  gained  by  study  of  what  went  before. 

No  work  of  this  kind,  dealing  with  the  deepest  phases  of 
the  Great  World  Mystery  that  the  human  mind,  at  its 
present  stage  of  development,  is  capable  of  grasping,  can 
be  written  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  be  light  reading. 
Yet  the  deepest  phases  now  comprehensible  to  us  are  but 
the  A  B  C  of  the  scheme  as  it  will  be  revealed  to  us  when 
our  minds  have  become  capable  of  understanding  more,  in 
later  stages  of  our  development  as  Supermen. 

THE  SATURN  PERIOD. 

The  Globes  of  the  Saturn  Period  consisted  of  much  rarer 
and  finer  substance  than  our  Earth,  as  will  be  evident  from 
a  study  of  diagrams  7  and  8,  which  the  student  is  advised  to 
keep  close  at  hand  for  frequent  reference  while  studying 
this  subject.  The  densest  Globe  of  that  Period  was  located 


THE  WORK  OP  EVOLUTION  205 

in  the  same  portion  of  the  World  of  Thought  occupied  by 
the  rarest  Globes  of  the  present  Period — the  Eegion  of 
Concrete  Thought.  These  Globes  had  no  consistency  such 
as  we  can  sense.  "Warmth"  is  the  only  word  that  approxi- 
mates the  idea  of  the  ancient  Saturn  Period.  It  was  dark ; 
and  if  a  person  could  have  entered  into  the  space  it  occu- 
pied, he  would  have  seen  nothing.  All  about  him  would 
have  been  darkness,  but  he  would  have  felt  its  warmth. 

To  the  materialist  it  will,  of  course,  seem  insanity  to  call 
such  a  condition  a  "Globe,"  and  to  assert  that  it  was  the 
field  of  evolution  of  Form  and  Life.  Yet,  when  we  consider 
the  Nebular  Theory,  we  can  realize  that  the  nebula  must 
have  been  dark  before  it  glowed  with  light,  and  that  it 
must  have  been  hot  before  it  could  become  fiery.  This 
heat  must  have  been  brought  about  by  motion,  and  motion 
is  life. 

We  may  say  that  the  virgin  spirits  who  were  to  evolve 
consciousness  and  form  were  embedded  in  this  Globe,  or 
perhaps  better,  that  the  whole  Globe  was  composed  of 
virgin  spirits,  as  a  raspberry  is  made  of  a  great  number 
of  small  raspberries.  They  were  incorporated  in  the  Globe, 
as  the  life  ensouling  the  mineral  is  in  our  Earth.  Therefore 
it  is  said  among  occult  scientists  that  in  the  Saturn  Period 
man  went  through  the  mineral  stage. 

Outside  this  "warmth-Globe" — in  its  atmosphere,  we 
might  say — were  the  great  creative  Hierarchies,  who  were 
to  help  the  evolving  virgin  spirits  to  develop  form  and 
consciousness.  There  were  many  Heierarchies,  but  for  the 
present  we  shall  concern  ourselves  with  the  principal  ones 
only — those  which  did  the  most  important  work  of  the 
Saturn  Period. 

In  the  Rosicrucian  terminology  these  are  called  "Lords 
of  the  Flame,"  because  of  the  brilliant  luminosity  of  their 


206  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

bodies  and  their  great  spiritual  powers.  They  are  called 
"Thrones"  in  the  Bible,  and  worked  on  man  of  their  own 
free  will.  They  were  so  far  advanced  that  this  evolutionary 
manifestation  could  give  them  no  new  experiences,  and 
therefore  no  added  wisdom,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of 
two  still  higher  order  of  Hierarchies,  to  be  named  later. 
The  rest  of  the  creative  Hierarchies,  in  order  to  complete 
their  own  evolution,  were  compelled  to  work  on,  in  and 
with  man. 

These  Lords  of  the  Flame  were  outside  the  dark  Saturn 
Globe  and  their  bodies  emitted  a  strong  light.  They,  so  to 
say,  projected  their  pictures  upon  the  surface  of  that 
ancient  Saturn  Globe,  which  was  so  unimpressionable  that 
it  reflected,  in  a  multiple  or  echo-like  manner,  everything 
that  came  in  contact  with  it,  giving  back  the  images  mani- 
folded. (This  is  told  in  the  Greek  myth  wherein  it  is  said 
that  Saturn  destroyed  his  children.) 

However,  by  repeated  efforts  during  the  first  Revolution, 
the  Lords  of  the  Flame  succeeded  in  implanting  in  the 
evolving  life  the  germ  which  has  developed  our  present 
dense  body.  This  germ  was  somewhat  developed  during  the 
remainder  of  the  first  six  Revolutions,  being  given  the 
capacity  for  developing  the  sense  organs,  particularly  the 
ear.  Therefore,  the  ear  is  the  most  highly  developed  organ 
we  possess.  It  is  the  instrument  which  carries  with  the 
greatest  accuracy  the  impressions  of  outside  conditions  to 
the  consciousness.  It  is  less  subject  to  the  illusions  of  the 
Physical  World  than  the  other  sense  organs. 

The  consciousness  of  the  evolving  life  of  that  Period 
was  like  that  of  the  mineral  of  today — a  state  of  uncon- 
sciousness similar  to  that  attained  by  mediums  in  the 
deepest  trance — yet  during  the  first  six  Revolutions,  the 
evolving  life  worked  on  the  germ  of  the  dense  body  under 


THE  WOKK  OF  EVOLUTION  207 

the  direction  and  with  the  help  of  the  different  creative 
Hierarchies.  In  the  middle  of  the  seventh  Revolution  the 
Lords  of  the  Flame,  Who  had  been  inactive  since  They 
gave  the  germ  of  the  dense  body  in  the  first  Revolution, 
again  became  active,  this  time  to  awaken  the  highest  spir- 
itual principle.  They  aroused  the  initial  activity  of  the 
divine  spirit  in  man. 

Thus,  man  owes  his  highest  and  lowest  vehicles — the  di- 
vine spirit  and  the  dense  body  to  the  evolution  of  the 
Saturn  Period.  These,  the  Lords  of  the  Flame  of  their  own 
free  will  helped  him  to  manifest,  not  being  under  the 
slightest  compulsion  to  do  so. 

The  work  of  the  various  creative  Hierarchies  is  not 
started  on  Globe  A,  at  the  commencement  of  a  Period 
or  a  Revolution.  It  commences  in  the  middle  of  one 
Revolution,  growing  in  strength  and  reaching  its  highest 
efficiency  in  the  middle  of  the  Cosmic  Night — which  is 
between  Revolutions,  as  well  as  between  Periods.  Then 
it  gradually  declines,  as  the  life  wave  sweeps  on  to  the 
middle  of  the  next  Revolution. 

Thus  the  work  of  the  Lords  of  the  Flame  in  awakening 
the  germinal  consciousness,  was  most  active  and  efficient 
during  the  rest  Period  between  the  Saturn  and  Sun 
Periods. 

We  reiterate  that  a  Cosmic  Night  is  not  to  be  regarded 
as  a  time  of  inactivity.  It  is  not  inert  existence,  as  we 
saw  in  the  case  of  the  individual  passing  from  death  to  a 
new  birth.  So  with  the  great  death  of  all  the  Globes  of  a 
Period.  It  is  a  cessation  of  active  manifestation,  that  a 
proportionately  keener  subjective  activity  may  be  unfolded. 

Perhaps  the  best  idea  of  the  nature  of  this  subjective 
activity  may  be  gained  by  observing  what  happens  when 
a  ripe  fruit  is  buried  in  the  ground.  Fermentation  and 


208  KOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCLJ^TION 

decay  of  the  flesh  sets  in,  but  out  of  that  chaos  comes  the 
new  plant,  sprouting  forth  into  the  air  and  sunshine. 
So,  when  a  Period  is  past,  all  is  resolved  into  conglomerate 
chaos,  apparently  incapable  of  being  reduced  to  order. 
At  the  proper  time,  however,  the  Globes  of  a  new  Period 
are  formed  and  made  ready  for  occupancy  as  man-bearing 
Worlds.  Hither  the  evolving  life  is  transferred  from  five 
dark  Globes  which  it  traverses  during  the  Cosmic  Night, 
to  commence  the  activities  of  a  new  creative  day  in  an 
altered  environment,  prepared  and  externalized  during  the 
activities  of  the  Cosmic  Night.  As  the  forces  of  fer- 
mentation in  the  fruit  stimulate  the  seed  and  fertilize  the 
soil  in  which  it  grows,  so  the  Lords  of  the  Flame  stimu- 
lated the  germ  of  divine  spirit,  particularly  during  the 
Cosmic  Night  between  the  Saturn  and  the  Sun  Periods, 
continuing  their  activities  until  the  middle  of  the  first 
Revolution  of  the  Sun  Period. 

RECAPITULATION. 

Before  the  activity  in  any  Period  can  be  started,  there 
is  a  recapitulation  of  all  that  has  been  gone  through 
before.  Owing  to  the  spiral  path  of  evolution,  this  activity 
takes  place  each  time  on  a  higher  scale  than  the  stage  in 
progression  which  it  rehearses.  The  necessity  will  become 
apparent  when  the  actual  work  in  recapitulation  is  de- 
scribed. 

The  first  Revolution  of  any  Period  is  a  recapitulation 
of  the  work  upon  the  dense  body  in  the  Saturn  Period, 
and  is  spoken  of  among  Rosicrucians  as  the  "Saturn 
Revolution." 

The  Second  Period  is  the  Sun  Period,  and  therefore 
the  second  Revolution  of  any  Period  subsequent  to  the 
Sim  Period  would  be  the  "Sun  Revolution." 


THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION  209 

The  third  Period  is  the  Moon  Period,  therefore  the  third 
Eevolution  of  any  subsequent  Period  would  be  a  recapitu- 
lation of  the  work  done  in  the  Moon  Period,  and  is  called 
the  "Moon  Eevolution." 

Not  until  after  the  recapitulatory  Eevolutions  does  the 
proper  work  of  a  Period  begin.  For  instance,  in  the 
present  Earth  Period,  we  have  passed  through  three  and 
one-half  Bevolutions.  That  means  that  in  the  first,  or 
Saturn  Bevolution  of  the  Earth  Period,  the  work  done 
in  the  Saturn  Period  was  repeated,  but  on  an  advanced 
scale.  In  the  second,  or  Sun  Eevolution,  the  work  of  the 
Sun  Period  was  gone  through  again.  In  the  third,  or 
Moon  Eevolution,  the  work  of  the  Moon  Period  was  re- 
peated; and  it  was  only  in  the  fourth — the  present  Eevo- 
lution— that  the  real  work  of  the  Earth  Period  commenced. 

In  the  last  of  the  seven  Periods — the  Vulcan  Period — 
only  the  last  Eevolution  will  be  concerned  with  real  Vul- 
can work.  In  the  preceding  six  Eevolutions  the  work  of 
the  preceding  six  Periods  will  have  been  recapitulated. 

Moreover  (and  this  will  particularly  help  the  student 
to  remember),  a  Saturn  Eevolution  in  any  Period  has 
always  to  do  with  the  development  of  some  new  feature  of 
the  dense  body,  because  that  was  started  in  a  first  Bevo- 
lution ;  and  any  seventh,  or  Vulcan  Eevolution,  has  for 
its  particular  work  some  activity  in  connection  with  the 
divine  spirit,  because  that  was  started  in  a  seventh  Bevo- 
lution. In  the  same  way,  we  shall  see  that  there  is  a  con- 
nection between  the  different  Bevolutions  and  all  the 
vehicles  of  man. 

THE  SUN  PERIOD. 

Conditions  during  the  Sun  Period  differed  radically 
from  those  of  the  Saturn  Period.  Instead  of  the  "warmth- 


EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO- CONCEPT  ION 

Globes"  of  the  latter,  the  Sun  Period  Globes  were  glowing 
light-balls,  of  the  consistency  of  gas.  These  great  gas- 
balls  contained  all  that  had  been  evolved  in  the  Saturn 
Period,  and  similarly,  in  the  atmosphere  were  the  creative 
Hierarchies. 

Instead  of  the  echo-like,  reflecting  quality  of  the  Sat- 
urn Period,  these  Globes,  to  some  extent,  had  the  quality 
of  absorbing  and  working  over  any  sight  or  sound  pro- 
jected against  their  surfaces.  They,  as  it  were,  "sensed" 
things.  The  Earth  does  not  seem  to  do  this,  and  a  ma- 
terialist would  scoff  at  the  idea,  yet  the  occultist  knows 
that  the  Earth  feels  everything  on  and  in  it.  This  lighter 
Globe  was  much  more  sensitive  than  the  Earth,  because 
it  was  not  limited  and  bound  in  such  hard  and  fast  con- 
ditions of  materiality  as  is  our  present  habitat. 

The  life,  of  course,  was  different,  because  no  forms  such 
as  we  know  could  have  existed  there.  But  life  can  express 
itself  in  forms  of  fiery  gas  as  well  as — in  fact  better 
than — in  forms  of  hard  chemical  matter  such  as  the 
present  dense  forms  of  mineral,  plant,  animal  and  man. 

As  the  evolving  life  appeared  upon  Globe  A  in  the  first, 
or  Saturn  Eevolution  of  the  Sun  Period,  it  was  still  in 
charge  of  the  Lords  of  the  Flame  who,  in  the  middle  of 
the  last  Eevolution  of  the  Saturn  Period,  awakened  in 
man  the  germ  of  the  divine  spirit. 

They  had  previously  given  the  germ  of  the  dense  body 
and,  in  the  first  half  of  the  Saturn  Eevolution  of  the  Sun 
Period,  were  concerned  with  certain  improvements  to  be 
made  upon  it. 

In  the  Sun  Period  the  formation  of  the  vital  body  was 
to  be  commenced,  with  all  thereby  implied  of  capability 
for  assimilation,  growth,  propagation,  glands,  etc. 

The  Lords  of  the  Flame  incorporated  in  the  germ  of 


THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION  211 

the  dense  body  only  the  capability  of  evolving  sense  organs. 
At  the  time  now  under  consideration  it  became  necessary 
to  change  the  germ  in  such  a  way  as  to  allow  of  inter- 
penetration  by  a  vital  body,  also  capability  of  evolving 
glands  and  an  alimentary  canal.  This  was  done  by  the 
joint  action  of  the  Lords  of  the  Flame,  who  gave  the 
original  germ,  and  the  Lords  of  Wisdom,  who  took  charge 
of  material  evolution  in  the  Sun  Period. 

The  Lords  of  Wisdom,,  who  were  not  so  highly  evolved 
as  the  Lords  of  the  Flame,  worked  to  complete  their  own 
evolution;  therefore  they  received  the  assistance  of  an 
order  of  exalted  Beings  who,  like  the  Lords  of  the  Flame, 
acted  of  their  own  free  will.  In  esoteric  parlance  they  are 
called  the  Cherubim.  These  exalted  Beings  did  not,  how- 
ever, become  active  in  the  work  until  it  was  necessary  to 
awaken  the  germ  of  the  second  spiritual  principle  of  our 
man-in-the-making,  as  the  Lords  of  Wisdom  were  quite 
capable  of  doing  the  work  connected  with  the  vital  body 
which  was  to  be  added  to  the  constitution  of  man  in  the 
Sun  Period,  but  not  of  awakening  the  second  spiritual 
principle. 

When  the  Lords  of  the  Flame  and  the  Lords  of  Wisdom 
had,  in  the  Saturn  Revolution  of  the  Sun  Period,  con- 
jointly reconstructed  the  germinal  dense  body,  the  Lords 
of  Wisdom,  in  the  second  Revolution,  started  the  proper 
work  of  the  Sun  Period,  by  radiating  from  their  own 
bodies  the  germ  of  the  vital  body,  making  it  capable  of 
inter-penetrating  the  dense  body  and  giving  to  the  germ 
the  capability  of  furthering  growth  and  propagation  and 
of  exciting  the  sense  centers  of  the  dense  body  and  causing 
it  to  move.  In  short,  they  gave,  germinally,  to  the  vital 
body  all  the  faculties  which  it  is  now  unfolding  to  become 
a  perfect  and  pliable  instrument  for  the  use  of  the  spirit. 


212  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

This  work  occupied  the  second,  third,  fourth  and  fifth 
Eevolutions  of  the  Sun  Period.  In  the  sixth  Revolution 
the  Cherubim  entered  and  awakened  the  germ  of  the 
second  aspect  of  the  threefold  spirit  in  man — the  life- 
spirit.  -In  the  seventh  and  last  Revolution  the  newly 
awakened  germ  of  the  life  spirit  was  linked  to  the  ger- 
minal divine  spirit,  and  this  was  still  further  worked 
upon. 

We  remember  that  in  the  Saturn  Period  our  conscious- 
ness was  similar  to  the  trance  condition.  By  the  activity 
of  the  Sun  Period  this  was  modified  until  it  became  like 
the  consciousness  of  dreamless  sleep. 

Evolution  in  the  Sun  Period  added  to  the  constitution 
of  the  evolving  embryonic  man,  the  next  highest  and  the 
next  lowest  of  his  present  vehicles.  As  the  result  of  the 
Saturn  Period  he  possessed  a  germinal  dense  body  and 
divine  spirit.  At  the  end  of  the  Sun  Period  he  possessed 
a  germinal  dense  body,  vital  body,  divine  spirit  and  life 
spirit,  i.  e.,  a  twofold  spirit  and  a  twofold  body. 

We  also  note  that,  as  the  first,  or  Saturn  Revolution,  of 
any  Period  is  concerned  with  work  in  the  dense  body 
(because  that  was  started  in  a  first  Revolution),  so  the 
second,  or  Sun  Revolution,  of  any  Period  is  concerned 
with  improvements  on  the  vital  body,  because  it  was 
started  in  a  second  Revolution.  In  like  manner,  the  sixth 
Revolution  of  any  Period  is  dedicated  to  some  work  on 
the  life  spirit,  and  any  seventh  Revolution  is  particularly 
concerned  with  matters  connected  with  the  divine  spirit. 

In  the  Saturn  Period  man-in-the-making  went  through 
a  mineral  stage  of  existence.  That  is  to  say,  he  had  a 
dense  body  only  in  the  sense  as  had  the  mineral.  His 
consciousness  was  also  similar  to  that  of  the  present 
mineral. 


THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION  213 

In  the  same  way,  and  for  analogous  reasons,  it  may  be 
said  that  in  the  Sun  Period  man  went  through  the  plant 
existence.  He  had  a  dense  body  and  a  vital  body,  as 
plants  have,  and  his  consciousness,  like  theirs,  was  that 
of  dreamless  sleep.  The  student  will  fully  grasp  this 
analogy  by  referring  to  diagram  4  in  the  chapter  on  the 
four  kingdoms,  where  the  vehicles  of  consciousness  pos- 
sessed by  mineral,  plant,  animal  and  man  are  schematically 
shown,  with  the  particular  consciousness  resulting  from 
their  possession  in  each  case. 

When  the  Sun  Period  was  past  there  came  another 
Cosmic  Night  of  assimilation,  together  with  the  sub- 
jective activity  necessary  before  the  opening  of  the  Moon 
Period.  This  was  equal  in  length  to  the  preceding  Period 
of  objective  manifestation. 

THE  MOON  PERIOD. 

As  the  chief  characteristic  feature  of  the  dark  Saturn 
Globes  was  described  by  the  term  "warmth,"  and  that  of 
the  Sun  period  Globes  as  "light,"  or  glowing  heat,  so  the 
chief  characteristic  feature  of  the  Globes  of  the  Moon 
Period  may  be  best  described  by  the  term  "moisture."  There 
was  no  air  such  as  we  know.  In  the  center  was  the  hot 
fiery  core.  Next  to  that,  and  consequent  upon  contact 
with  the  cold  of  outside  space,  there  was  dense  mois- 
ture. By  contact  with  the  fiery  central  core  the  dense 
moisture  was  changed  into  hot  steam,  which  rushed  out- 
ward to  cool,  and  sink  again  toward  the  center.  There- 
fore the  occult  scientist  calls  the  Globes  of  the  Moon 
Period  "water,"  and  describes  the  atmosphere  of  that  time 
as  "fire-fog."  That  was  the  scene  of  the  next  forward 
step  of  the  evolving  life. 

The  work  of  the  Moon  Period  was  that  of  acquiring  the 


214  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

germ  of  a  desire  body  and  starting  the  germinal  activity 
of  the  third  aspect  of  the  threefold  spirit  in  man — the 
human  spirit — the  Ego. 

In  the  middle  of  the  seventh  Kevolution  of  the  Sun 
Period,  the  Lords  of  Wisdom  took  charge  of  the  germinal 
life  spirit  given  by  the  Cherubim  in  the  sixth  Revolution 
of  the  Sun  Period.  They  did  this  for  the  purpose  of 
linking  it  to  the  divine  spirit.  Their  greatest  activity  in 
this  work  was  reached  in  the  Cosmic  Night  intervening 
between  the  Sun  and  the  Moon  Periods.  In  the  first  dawn 
of  the  Moon  Period,  as  the  life  wave  started  upon  its  new 
pilgrimage,  the  Lords  of  Wisdom  reappeared,  bearing  with 
them  the  germinal  vehicles  of  the  evolving  man.  In  the 
first,  or  Saturn  Revolution  of  the  Moon  Period,  they  co- 
operated with  the  "Lords  of  Individuality,"  who  had  spe- 
cial charge  of  the  material  evolution  of  the  Moon  Period. 
Together  they  reconstructed  the  germ  of  the  dense  body, 
brought  over  from  the  Sun  Period.  This  germ  had  un- 
folded embryonic  sense  organs,  digestive  organs,  glands, 
etc.,  and  was  inter-penetrated  by  a  budding  vital  body 
which  diffused  a  certain  degree  of  life  into  the  embryonic 
dense  body.  Of  course,  it  was  not  solid  and  visible  as  it 
is  now,  yet  in  a  crude  sort  of  way  it  was  somewhat  organ- 
ized and  is  perfectly  distinguishable  to  the  trained  clair- 
voyant sight  of  the  competent  investigator  who  searches 
the  memory  of  nature  for  scenes  in  that  far-off  past. 

In  the  Moon  Period  it  was  necessary  to  reconstruct  the 
dense  body  to  make  it  capable  of  being  inter-penetrated 
by  a  desire  body,  and  also  capable  of  evolving  a  nervous 
system,  muscle,  cartilage  and  a  rudimentary  skeleton. 
This  reconstruction  was  the  work  of  the  Saturn  Revolu- 
tion of  the  Moon  Period. 

In  the  second,  or  Sun  Revolution,  the  vital  body  was 


THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION  215 

also  modified  to  render  it  capable  of  being  inter-penetrated 
by  a  desire  body,  also  of  accommodating  itself  to  the  nerv- 
ous system,  muscle,  skeleton,  etc.  The  Lords  of  Wisdom, 
who  were  the  originators  of  the  vital  body,  also  helped  the 
Lords  of  Individuality  with  this  work. 

In  the  third  Revolution  the  proper  Moon  work  com- 
menced. The  Lords  of  Individuality  radiated  from  them- 
selves the  substance  which  they  helped  the  unconscious, 
evolving  man  to  appropriate  and  build  into  a  germinal  de- 
sire body.  They  also  helped  him  to  incorporate  ;this  germ- 
inal desire  body  in  the  compound  vital  body  and  dense 
body  which  he  already  possessed.  This  work  was  carried 
on  all  through  the  third  and  fourth  Eevolutions  of  the 
Moon  Period. 

As  with  the  Lords  of  Wisdom,  so  with  the  Lords  of 
Individuality;  though  exalted  far  above  man,  they  worked 
on  and  in  him  to  complete  their  own  evolution.  While 
they  were  capable  of  dealing  with  the  lower  vehicle,  they 
were  powerless  in  regard  to  the  higher.  They  could  not 
give  the  spiritual  impulse  necessary  to  the  awakening  of 
the  third  aspect  of  the  threefold  spirit  in  man.  Therefore 
another  class  of  Beings  who  were  beyond  the  necessity  of 
evolving  in  such  an  evolution  as  we  are  passing  through — 
who  also  worked  of  their  own  free  will,  as  did  the  Lords 
of  the  Flame  and  the  Cherubim — came  in  during  the 
fifth  Revolution  of  the  Moon  Period,  to  help  man.  They 
are  called  "Seraphim."  They  awakened  the  germ  of  the 
third  aspect  of  the  spirit — the  human  spirit. 

In  the  sixth  Revolution  of  the  Moon  Period  the  Cheru- 
bim reappeared  and  co-operated  with  the  Lords  of  Indi- 
viduality to  link  the  newly  acquired  germ  of  the  human 
spirit  to  the  life  spirit. 

In  the  seventh  Revolution  of  the  Moon  Period  the  Lords 


216  BOSICEUC1AN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

of  the  Flame  again  came  to  the  aid  of  man,  helping  the 
Lords  of  Individuality  to  link  the  human  spirit  to  the 
divine  spirit.  Thus  the  separate  Ego — the  threefold  spirit 
— came  into  existence. 

Before  the  beginning  of  the  Saturn  Period  the  virgin 
spirits  who  are  now  man,  were  in  the  World  of  Virgin 
Spirits,  and  were  "All-conscious"  as  God  in  whom  (not 
from  whom),  they  were  differentiated.  They  were  not 
"self"  conscious  however.  The  attainment  of  that  faculty 
is  partly  the  object  of  evolution  which  plunges  the  virgin 
spirits  into  a  sea  of  matter  of  gradually  increasing  density 
which  eventually  shuts  it  from  the  All-consciousness. 

Thus,  in  the  Saturn  Period  the  virgin  spirits  were  im- 
mersed in  the  World  of  Divine  Spirit  and  encased  in  the 
tiniest  film  of  that  substance  which  they  partially  pene- 
trated by  the  help  of  the  Lords  of  Flame. 

In  the  Sun  Period  the  virgin  spirit  was  plunged  into  the 
denser  World  of  Life  Spirit  and  more  effectively  blinded  to 
the  All-consciousness  by  a  second  veil  of  the  substance  of 
the  World  of  Life  Spirit.  Still,  by  the  help  of  the  Cheru- 
bim it  partially  penetrated  this  second  veil  also.  The 
feeling  of  the  Oneness  of  All  was  not  lost  either,  for  the 
World  of  Life  Spirit  is  still  a  universal  World  common 
to  and  inter-penetrating  all  the  planets  of  a  Solar  System. 

In  the  Moon  Period,  however,  the  virgin  spirits  take  a 
further  dip  into  the  still  denser  matter  of  the  Region  of 
Abstract  Thought  and  here  the  most  opaque  of  its  veils, 
the  human  spirit,  is  added.  Henceforth  the  All-conscious- 
ness of  the  virgin  spirit  is  lost.  It  can  no  longer  penetrate 
its  veils,  look  outwards  and  perceive  others,  so  it  is  forced 
to  turn  its  consciousness  inwards  and  there  it  finds  its  self, 
as  the  Ego,  separated  and  apart  from  all  others. 

Thus  the  virgin  spirit  is  encased  in  a  threefold  veil,  and 


THE  WOEK  OF  EVOLUTION 

as  its  outermost  veil,  the  human  spirit,  effectively  blinds 
it  to  the  oneness  of  Life,  it  becomes  the  Ego  by  entertain- 
ing the  illusion  of  separateness  contracted  during  involu- 
tion. Evolution  will  gradually  dissolve  the  illusion,  bring 
back  the  All-consciousness,  and  Self-consciousness  will  have 
been  added. 

Thus  we  see  that  at  the  close  of  the  Moon  Period  man 
possessed  a  threefold  body  in  varying  stages  of  develop- 
ment; and  also  the  germ  of  the  threefold  spirit.  He  had 
dense,  vital,  and  desire  bodies,  and  divine  life  and  human 
spirit.  All  he  lacked  was  the  link  to  connect  them. 

It  has  been  stated  that  man  passed  through  the  mineral 
stage  in  the  Saturn  Period;  through  the  plant  stage  in 
the  Sun  Period,  and  his  pilgrimage  through  the  condi- 
tions of  the  Moon  Period  corresponded  to  the  phase  of 
animal  existence,  for  the  same  reason  that  the  two  other 
similes  are  applicable — he  had  the  dense,  vital,  and  desire 
bodies,  as  have  our  present  animals,  and  his  consciousness 
was  an  internal  picture-consciousness,  such  as  the  lower 
animals  have  today.  This  resembles  the  dream  conscious- 
ness of  man,  save  that  it  is  perfectly  rational,  being 
directed  by  the  group-spirit  of  the  animals.  The  student 
is  again  referred  to  diagram  4  in  the  chapter  on  the  four 
kingdoms,  where  this  is  shown. 

These  Moon  beings  were  not  so  purely  germinal  as  in 
the  previous  Periods.  To  the  trained  clairvoyant  they  ap- 
pear suspended  by  strings  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  fire- 
fog,  as  the  embryo  hangs  from  the  placenta  by  the  umbilical 
cord.  Currents  (common  to  all  of  them),  which  provided 
some  sort  of  nourishment,  flowed  in  and  out  from  tLd 
atmosphere  through  those  cords.  These  currents  were  thus, 
to  some  extent,  similar  in  their  function  to  the  blood  of  the 
present  day.  The  name  "blood"  as  applied  to  these  cur- 


218  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

rents,  however,  is  used  merely  to  suggest  an  analogy,  be- 
cause the  Beings  of  the  Moon  Period  possessed  nothing 
like  our  present  red  blood,  which  is  one  of  the  very  latest 
acquisitions  of  man. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  Moon  Period  there  was  a  divi- 
sion of  the  Globe  which  was  the  field  of  our  and  other 
evolutions,  which,  for  the  sake  of  greater  simplicity,  we 
have  not  heretofore  mentioned,  but  with  which  we  shall 
presently  become  acqauinted. 

Part  of  that  great  Globe  was  so  crystallized  by  man  on 
account  of  his  inability  to  keep  the  part  which  he  inhabited 
in  the  high  state  of  vibration  maintained  by  the  other 
beings  there,  and  as  this  part  became  more  inert,  the  cen- 
trifugal force  of  the  revolving  Globe  sent  it  spinning  into 
space,  where  it  began  to  circle  around  the  glowing  fiery 
central  portion. 

The  spiritual  reason  for  the  throwing  off  of  such  crys- 
tallizations is  that  the  highest  beings  on  such  a  Globe  re- 
quire for  their  evolution  the  exceedingly  rapid  vibrations 
of  fire.  They  are  hampered  by  condensation,  although  such 
a  condition  is  necessary  to  the  evolution  of  other  and  less 
advanced  beings  requiring  lower  rates  of  vibration.  There- 
fore, when  part  of  any  Globe  has  been  consolidated  by  a 
group  of  evolving  beings  to  the  detriment  of  others,  that 
part  is  thrown  off  to  exactly  the  proper  distance  from  the 
central  mass,  so  that  it  circles  as  a  satellite  around  its 
primary.  The  heat  vibrations  which  strike  it  are  of  the 
rate  and  strength  suitable  to  the  peculiar  needs  of  the 
beings  evolving  upon  that  satellite.  Of  course,  the  law  of 
gravitation  accounts  quite  satisfactorily  for  the  phenom- 
enon from  a  physical  point  of  view.  But  there  is  always 
a  deeper  cause,  that  yields  a  more  complete  explanation  and 
which  we  will  find  if  we  consider  the  spiritual  side  of 


THE  WORK  OF  EVOLUTION  219 

things.  As  a  physical  action  is  but  the  visible  manifestation 
of  the  invisible  thought  which  must  precede  it,  so  is  the 
throwing  off  of  a  planet  from  a  central  Sun  simply  the 
visible  and  unavoidable  effect  of  invisible  spiritual 
conditions. 

The  smaller  planet  which  was  thrown  off  in  the  Moon 
Period,  condensed  with  comparative  rapidity  and  remained 
the  field  of  our  evolution  until  the  end  of  that  Period. 
It  was  a  moon  to  the  parent  planet,  circling  around  it  as 
our  Moon  circles  around  the  Earth,  but  it  did  not  show 
phases  as  our  Moon  does.  It  revolved  in  such  a  manner 
that  one-half  was  always  light  and  the  other  always  dark, 
as  is  the  case  with  Venus.  One  of  its  poles  was  pointed 
directly  towards  the  large  fiery  Globe,  as  one  of  the  poles 
of  Venus  points  directly  towards  the  Sun. 

On  this  satellite  of  the  Moon  Period  there  were  currents 
which  encircled  it,  as  the  group-spirit  currents  encircle  the 
Earth.  The  Moon  beings  followed  those  currents  instinct- 
ively from  the  light  to  the  dark  side  of  this  old  Moon.  At 
certain  times  of  the  year,  when  they  were  on  the  light  side, 
a  sort  of  propagation  took  place.  We  have  the  atavistic 
residue  of  those  moon-travels  for  propagation  in  the  migra- 
tions of  the  birds  of  passage  which,  to  the  present  day, 
follow  the  group-spirit  currents  around  the  Earth  at  cer- 
tain seasons  of  the  year,  for  identical  purposes.  Even  the 
(honey)  moon  trips  of  human  beings  show  that  man  him- 
self has  not  yet  outgrown  the  migratory  impulse  in  connec- 
tion with  mating. 

The  Moon  beings  at  this  last  stage  were  also  capable 
of  giving  utterance  to  sounds,  or  cries.  These  were  Cosmic 
sounds — not  expressions  of  individual  joy  or  sorrow,  for 
as  yet  there  was  no  individual.  The  development  of  the 
individual  came  later — in  the  Earth  Period. 


220  KOSiCRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

At  the  end  of  the  Moon  Period  once  more  came  the 
interval  of  rest,  the  Cosmic  Night.  The  divided  parts 
were  dissolved  and  merged  in  the  general  Chaos  which 
preceded  the  reorganization  of  the  Globe  for  the  Earth 
Period. 

The  Lords  of  Wisdom  had  now  evolved  so  far,  that  they 
were  capable  of  taking  charge  as  the  highest  creative 
Hierarchy.  They  were  given  special  charge  of  the  divine 
spirit  in  man  during  the  Earth  Period. 

The  Lords  of  Individuality  were  also  sufficiently  ad- 
vanced to  work  upon  the  spirit  in  man  and  the  life  spirit 
was  therefore  put  under  their  charge. 

Another  creative  Hierarchy  had  special  care  of  the  three 
germs  of  the  dense,  vital,  and  desire  bodies  as  they  were 
evolving.  They  were  the  ones  who,  under  direction  of 
the  higher  orders,  actually  did  the  principal  work  on  these 
bodies,  using  the  evolving  life  as  a  kind  of  instrument. 
This  Hierarchy  is  called  the  "Lords  of  Form."  They 
were  now  evolved  so  far  that  they  were  given  charge  of 
the  third  aspect  of  the  spirit  in  man — the  human  spirit — 
in  the  coming  Earth  Period. 

There  were  twelve  great  Creative  Hierarchies  active  in 
the  work  of  evolution  at  the  commencement  of  the  Saturn 
Period.  Two  of  these  Hiararchies  did  some  work  to  help  at 
the  very  beginning.  No  information  has  been  given  as  to 
what  they  did,  nor  anything  about  them,  except  that  they 
helped  of  their  own  free  will,  and  then  withdrew  from 
limited  existence  into  liberation. 

Three  more  of  the  Creative  Hierarchies  followed  them 
at  the  beginning  of  the  Earth  Period — the  Lords  of  the 
Flame,  the  Cherubim  and  the  Seraphim — leaving  seven 
Hierarchies  in  active  service  at  the  time  the  Earth  Period 


THE   WORK  OF  EVOLUTION  221 

began.     (Diagram  9  will  give  a  clear  idea  of  the  twelve 
Creative  Hierarchies  and  their  status). 

DIAGRAM  9. 

The  Twelve  Great  Creative  Hierarchies. 
Zodiacal  Sign.  Name.  Status. 

1 — Aries    Nameless    The    first    and    second 

2 — Taurus Nameless orders  are  said  to  have 

passed  beyond  the  ken 
of  anyone  on  Earth.  It 
is  known  that  they  gave 
some  assistance  at  the 
beginning  of  our  evolu- 
tion. 

The  three  following  orders  worked 
of  their  own  free  will  to  help  man 
during  the  three  periods  which  pre- 
ceded the  Earth  Period.  They  have 
also  passed  to  liberation: 

3 — Gemini Seraphim    who,  in  the  Moon  Period, 

aroused  in  man-in-the- 
making  the  germ  of  the 
human  spirit — the  Ego. 

4 — Cancer    Cherubim   who,  in  the  Sun  Period, 

aroused  the  germ  of  the 
life  spirit. 

5 — Leo Lords  of  Flame who,  in  the  Saturn  Pe- 
riod, aroused  the  germ 
of  the  divine  spirit  and 
gave  the  germ  of  the 
dense  body. 

The  following  Seven  Creative  Hier- 
archies are  active  in  the  Earth 
Period : 

6 — Virgo   .......  Lords  of  Wisdom who,  in  the  Sun  Period, 

started  the  vital  body. 

7 — Libra    Lords  of  Individuality. .  who, in  the  Moon  Period, 

started  the  desire  body. 

8 — Scorpio    Lords  of  Form. ..... ..who  have  special  charge 

of  human  evolution  in 
the  Earth  Period. 

9 — Saggitarius  .  Lords  of  Mind the    humanity    of    the 

Saturn  Period. 

10 — Capricornus  .  Archangels    the     humanity    of    the 

Sun  Period. 

11 — Aquarius    . . .  Angels    the    humanity     of    the 

Moon  Period. 

12 — Pisces    The  Virgin  Spirits. . . .  who    are    the   humanity 

of  the  present  Earth 
Period. 


222          THE   KOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

The  Lords  of  Mind  became  experts  at  building  bodies  of 
"mind-stuff"  as  we  are  becoming  experts  at  building  bodies 
of  chemical  matter,  and  for  a  similar  reason :  The  Region 
of  Concrete  Thought  was  the  densest  condition  of  matter 
reached  during  the  Saturn  Period  where  they  were  human 
and  the  Chemical  Region  is  the  densest  state  to  be  con- 
tacted by  our  humanity. 

In  the  Earth  Period  the  Lords  of  Mind  reached  the 
Creator-stage,  and  radiated  from  themselves  into  our  being 
the  nucleus  of  material  from  which  we  are  now  seeking  to 
build  an  organized  mind.  They  are  called  "Powers  of 
Darkness"  by  Paul  because  they  came  from  the  dark  Saturn 
Period,  and  are  considered  evil  on  account  of  the  sepa- 
rative tendency  appertaining  to  the  plane  of  Reason  as 
contrasted  with  the  unifying  forces  of  the  World  of  Life 
Spirit;  the  realm  of  Love.  The  Lords  of  Mind  work  with 
humanity;  but  not  with  the  three  lower  Kingdoms. 

The  Archangels  became  experts  at  building  a  body  of 
desire-stuff :  the  densest  matter  of  the  Sun  Period.  There- 
fore they  are  able  to  teach  and  guide  such  less  evolved 
beings  as  man  and  animal  how  to  mold  and  use  a  desire- 
body. 

The  Angels  are  thoroughly  experienced  in  building  a 
vital  body  for  in  the  Moon  period  when  they  were  human 
the  ether  was  the  densest  condition  of  matter.  On  account 
of  this  ability  they  are  properly  the  teachers  of  man,  animal 
and  plant  with  regard  to  the  vital  functions :  propagation, 
nutrition,  etc. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
STRAGGLERS  AND  NEWCOMERS. 

IN  following  through  the  preceding  chapter  the  evolution 
of  life,  consciousness  and  form — the  triple  phase  ot 
manifestation  of  the  virgin  spirit — which  is  the  life 
that  gathers  the  form  about  itself  and  gains  consciousness 
thereby,  we  have  spoken  as  though  there  were  only  one 
class;  as  though  the  virgin  spirits,  without  exception,  had 
made  constant  and  uniform  progress. 

This  was  done  for  the  sake  of  simplicity,  because  strag- 
glers there  were,  as  there  are  in  any  great  body  or 
company. 

In  school  there  are,  every  year,  those  who  fail  to  reach 
the  standard  required  for  promotion  into  a  higher  grade. 
Similarly,  in  every  Period  of  Evolution,  there  are  those 
who  fall  behind  because  they  have  not  attained  the  stand- 
ard necessary  to  pass  onward  to  the  next  higher  stage. 

Even  so  early  as  the  Saturn  Period  there  were  some  who 
failed  to  improve  sufficiently  to  take  the  next  forward  step. 
At  that  stage  the  Higher  Beings  were  working  with  the 
life,  which  was  itself  unconscious,  but  that  unconscious- 
ness did  not  prevent  the  retardation  of  some  of  the  virgin 
spirits  who  were  not  so  pliable,  nor  so  readily  adaptable 
as  others. 

In  that  one  word  "Adaptability,"  we  have  the  great 
secret  of  advancement  or  retardation.  All  progress  depends 

223 


224  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

upon  whether  an  evolving  being  is  flexible,  adaptable  and 
pliable,  so  as  to  be  able  to  accommodate  itself  to  new  con- 
ditions, or  whether  it  is  crystallized,  set,  and  incapable  of 
alteration.  Adaptability  is  the  quality  which  makes  for 
progress,  whether  an  entity  is  at  a  high  or  a  low  stage  of 
evolution.  Lack  of  it  is  the  cause  of  the  retardation  of 
the  spirit  and  retrogression  of  the  Form.  This  applies  to 
the  past,  present  and  future,  the  division  of  the  qualified 
and  the  unqualified  thus  being  made  with  the  exact  and 
impersonal  justice  of  the  law  of  Consequence.  There 
never  was,  nor  ever  shall  be  any  arbitrary  distinction  made 
between  the  "sheep"  and  the  "goats." 

The  hardened  unresponsive  condition  of  some  of  the 
Saturn  beings  prevented  the  awakening  of  the  divine 
spirit  within  them,  therefore  they  remained  simply  min- 
eral, all  they  had  gained  being  the  germinal  dense  body. 

Thus  there  were  two  classes,  or  kingdoms,  in  the  Sun 
Period,  i.  e.,  the  stragglers  of  the  Saturn  Period,  who 
were  still  mineral,  and  the  pioneers  of  the  Saturn  Period, 
who  were  capable  of  receiving  the  germ  of  a  vital  body  and 
becoming  plant-like. 

In  addition  to  those  two  kingdoms  there  was  also  a 
third — a  new  life  wave,  which  was  just  commencing  its 
activity  at  the  beginning  of  the  Sun  Period.  (That  is  the 
life  wave  which  now  ensouls  our  animals). 

The  matter  into  which  the  new  life  wave  entered,  to- 
gether with  the  stragglers  of  the  Saturn  Period,  composed 
the  mineral  kingdom  of  the  Sun  Period.  There  was,  how- 
ever, a  great  difference  between  those  two  classes  or  sub- 
divisions of  the  second  kingdom.  It  is  possible  for  the 
stragglers  to  make  a  "spurt"  and  overtake  the  pioneers — 
who  are  now  our  humanity — but  it  is  impossible  for  the 
new  life  wave  of  the  Sun  Period  to  do  that.  It  will  reach 


STRAGGLERS  AND  NEWCOMERS  225 

a  stage  corresponding  to  the  human,  but  under  very  dif- 
ferent conditions. 

The  division  of  stragglers  and  pioneers  took  place  in 
the  seventh  Revolution  of  the  Saturn  Period,  when  the 
divine  spirit  was  awakened  by  the  Lords  of  the  Flame. 
Then  it  was  found  that  some  of  the  evolving  entities  were 
in  such  an  unresponsive,  hardened  condition  that  it  was 
impossible  to  arouse  them.  They  therefore  remained  with- 
out the  spark  of  spirit  upon  which  their  progress  depended 
and  they  were  obliged  to  remain  at  the  same  level,  being 
unable  to  follow  the  others  in  whom  the  spiritual  spark 
was  awakened.  Truly,  truly,  all  that  we  are  or  are  not  is 
the  result  of  our  own  effort,  or  our  own  inaction. 

These  stragglers  and  the  newly  arrived  life  wave  formed 
dark  spots  in  the  otherwise  glowing  gas-sphere  which  was 
the  densest  Globe  of  the  Sun  Period,  and  our  present  Sun- 
spots  are  an  atavistic  remainder  of  that  condition. 

In  the  sixth  Revolution  of  the  Sun  Period  the  life  spirit 
was  awakened  by  the  Cherubim,  and  again  it  was  found 
that  some  who  had  safely  passed  the  critical  point  in  the 
Saturn  Period,  had  fallen  behind  in  the  Sun  Period  and 
were  unfit  to  have  the  second  aspect  of  the  spirit  vivified. 
Thus  there  were  another  class  of  stragglers,  who  had 
lagged  behind  the  crest-wave  of  evolution. 

In  the  seventh  Revolution  of  the  Sun  Period  the  Lords 
of  the  Flame  reappeared  to  awaken  the  divine  spirit  in 
those  who  failed  to  qualify  for  it  at  the  end  of  the  Saturn 
Period,  but  had  attained  to  the  point  where  they  could 
receive  the  spiritual  impulse  in  the  Sun  Period.  The 
Lords  of  the  Flame  also  awakened  the  germ  of  divine 
spirit  in  as  many  of  the  new  life  wave  entities  as  were 
ready,  but  here  also  there  were  stragglers. 


226  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Thus  at  the  beginning  of  the  Moon  Period  there  were 
the  following  classes: 

1 — The  Pioneers  who  had  successfully  passed  through  the  Saturn 
and  the  Sun  Periods.  They  had  dense  and  vital  bodies, 
divine  and  life  spirit  germinally  active. 

2 — The  Stragglers  of  the  Sun  Period,  who  had  dense  and  vital 
bodies,  also  divine  spirit — all  germinal. 

3 — The  Stragglers  of  the  Saturn  Period,  who  had  been  promoted 
in  the  seventh  Eevolution  of  the  Sun  Period.  They  had 
the  germ  of  dense  body  and  divine  spirit. 

4 — The  Pioneers  of  the  new  Life  Wave,  who  had  the  same  vehicles 
as  class  3,  but  belong  to  a  different  scheme  of  evolution 
from  ours. 

5 — The  Stragglers  of  the  new  Life  Wave,  who  had  only  the  germ 
for  the  dense  body. 

6 — A  New  Life  Wave,  which  entered  upon  its  evolution  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Moon  Period  and  is  the  life  that  en- 
souls our  plants  of  the  present  day. 

It  is  necessary  to  remember  that  Nature  hastens  slowly. 
She  makes  no  sudden  changes  in  forms.  To  her,  time  is 
nothing;  the  attainment  of  perfection  is  everything.  A 
mineral  does  not  change  to  a  plant  at  one  bound,  but  by 
gradual,  almost  imperceptible  degrees.  A  plant  does  not 
become  an  animal  in  a  night.  It  requires  millions  of  years 
to  bring  about  the  change.  Thus  at  all  times  there  are  all 
stages  and  gradations  to  be  found  in  nature.  The  Ladder 
of  Being  stretches  without  break  from  protoplasm  to  God. 

Therefore  we  have  to  deal,  not  with  six  different  king- 
doms corresponding  to  the  above  six  classes  which  entered 
the  arena  of  evolution  at  the  beginning  of  the  Moon 
Period,  but  with  three  kingdoms  only — mineral,  plant  and 
animal. 

The  lowest  class  in  the  Moon  Period  composed  the  new 
life  stream  which  there  commenced  its  evolution.  It 
formed  the  hardest  mineral  part,  yet  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  it  was  by  no  means  as  hard  as  the  mineral  of 
the  present  time,  but  only  about  as  dense  as  our  wood. 


STRAGGLERS  AND  NEWCOMERS  227 

This  statement  does  not  contradict  former  ones  which 
described  the  Moon  as  watery,  nor  does  it  conflict  with 
diagram  8,  showing  the  densest  Globe  in  the  Moon  Period 
as  located  in  the  Etheric  Kegion,  which  is  etheric.  As 
before  stated,  the  fact  that  the  path  of  evolution  is  spiral 
prevents  any  condition  ever  being  duplicated.  There  are 
similarities,  but  never  reproductions  of  identical  conditions. 
It  is  not  always  possible  to  describe  conditions  in  exact 
terms.  The  best  available  term  is  used  to  convey  an  idea 
of  the  conditions  existing  at  the  time  under  consideration. 

Class  5  in  our  list  was  nearly  mineral,  yet  on  account 
of  having  passed  through  and  beyond  the  mineral  condi- 
tion during  the  Sun  Period,  it  had  some  plant  charac- 
teristics. 

Class  4  was  almost  plant  and  did  evolve  to  a  plant  before 
the  close  of  the  Moon  Period.  It  was,  however,  more 
nearly  allied  to  the  mineral  kingdom  than  the  next  two 
classes,  which  formed  the  higher  kingdom.  We  may  there- 
fore group  classes  4  and  5  together,  as  forming  a  sort  of 
half-step,  a  "mineral-plant"  kingdom,  which  composed  the 
surface  of  the  ancient  planet  of  the  Moon  Period.  It  was 
something  like  our  present  peat,  which  is  also  a  state 
between  the  mineral  and  the  plant.  It  was  soggy  and  wet, 
consistent  with  the  statement  that  the  Moon  Period  was 
watery. 

Thus  the  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  classes  composed  the 
different  gradations  of  the  mineral  kingdom  in  the  Moon 
Period — the  highest  being  nearly  plant  and  the  lowest 
the  hardest  mineral  substance  of  that  time. 

Classes  2  and  3  formed  the  plant  kingdom,  though  they 
were  both  really  more  than  plants,  yet  were  not  quite 
animal.  They  grew  in  the  mineral-plant  soil;  they  were 
stationary  like  plants ;  yet  they  could  not  have  grown  in  a 


228  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

purely  mineral  soil,  as  our  plants  do  now.  Good  examples 
of  what  they  were  like  may  be  found  in  our  parasitic  plants, 
which  cannot  grow  in  a  purely  mineral  soil,  but  seek  the 
food  already  specialized  by  a  real  plant  or  tree. 

Class  1  was  composed  of  the  pioneers  of  the  life  wave 
of  virgin  spirits.  In  the  Moon  Period  they  were  going 
through  a  sort  of  animal-like  existence.  Yet  they  were 
like  the  animals  of  our  time  only  in  so  far  as  they  had  the 
same  vehicles  and  were  under  the  control  of  a  group- 
spirit,  which  included  the  whole  human  family.  In  ap- 
pearance they  were  very  different  from  our  present  animals, 
as  shown  by  the  partial  description  given  in  the  previous 
chapter.  They  did  not  touch  the  surface  of  the  planet, 
but  floated  suspended  by  umbilical-like  cords.  Instead 
of  lungs  they  had  a  gill-like  apparatus  through  which  they 
breathed  the  hot  steamy  "fire-fog."  These  features  of  the 
Moon  existence  are  still  recapitulated  by  the  embryo  dur- 
ing the  period  of  gestation.  At  certain  stages  of  develop- 
ment it  has  the  gills.  The  Moon  beings  at  that  time  had 
also  the  horizontal  spine  of  the  animal. 

During  the  Moon  Period  several  more  divisions  of  classes 
occurred  than  in  the  preceding  periods,  because  there  were, 
of  course,  stragglers  who  failed  to  keep  abreast  of  the  crest- 
wave  of  evolution.  As  a  result  there  were,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  Earth  Period,  5  classes,  some  of  them  contain- 
ing several  divisions,  as  diagram  10  will  show.  These  divi- 
sions occurred  at  the  following  times  and  for  the  follow- 
ing reasons: 

In  the  middle  of  the  fifth  Eevolution  of  the  Moon  Period, 
when  the  Seraphim  bestowed  the  germ  of  the  human  spirit 
upon  the  pioneers  who  had  fitted  themselves  to  pass  on, 
some  were  found  wanting  when  weighed  in  the  balance 


STRAGGLERS  AND  NEWCOMERS  229 

and  therefore  unfit  to  receive  the  spiritual  impulse  which 
awakened  the  threefold  spirit. 

In  the  sixth  Revolution  of  the  Moon  Period  the  Cheru- 
bim reappeared  and  vivified  the  life  spirit  of  those  who 
had  been  left  behind  in  the  Sun  Period  but  had  since 
reached  the  necessary  stage  of  development  (Class  2  in 
our  previous  list),  and  also  in  those  stragglers  of  the  Sun 
Period  who  had  not  evolved  a  vital  body  during  their  plant 
existence  in  the  Moon  Period.  (These  latter  were  class  3 
in  the  previous  list). 

Class  4  in  the  previous  list  had  been  going  through  a 
low  stage  of  plant  existence;  nevertheless  the  majority  of 
them  had  evolved  the  vital  body  sufficiently  to  allow  of  the 
awakening  of  the  life  spirit. 

Thus,  the  three  last-named  all  possessed  the  same  vehicles 
at  the  beginning  of  the  Earth  Period,  although  only  the 
two  first-named  (classes  3a  and  3b  in  diagram  10)  belong 
to  our  life  wave,  and  have  a  chance  of  even  yet  overtaking 
us  if  they  pass  the  critical  point  which  will  come  in  the 
next  Revolution  of  the  Earth  Period.  Those  who  cannot 
pass  that  point  will  be  held  over  until  some  future  evolu- 
tion reaches  a  stage  where  they  can  drop  in  and  proceed 
with  their  development  in  a  new  human  period.  They 
will  be  debarred  from  going  forward  with  our  humanity 
because  it  will  be  advanced  so  far  beyond  their  status  that 
it  would  prove  a  serious  clog  to  our  progress  to  Tlrag  them 
along.  They  will  not  be  destroyed,  but  simply  held  in 
waiting  for  another  period  of  evolution. 

Progression  with  our  present  wave  of  evolution  is  what 
is  meant  when  "salvation"  is  spoken  of  in  the  Christian 
religion,  and  it  is  something  to  be  earnestly  sought,  for 
though  the  "eternal  damnation"  of  those  who  are  not 
"saved"  does  not  mean  destruction  nor  endless  torture,  it 


230 


KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 


DIAGRAM     10 

Showing  the  different  classes  of  the  several  life  waves  which  are 
evolving  in  the  four  kingdoms  of  the  earth;  their  status  at  the 
beginning  of  the  earth  period  and  the  vehicles  they  then  possessed;  also 
their  present  status. 


CLASS 

VEHICLES 

PRESENT  STATE 

1—  Pioneers    of    the 
Saturn.  Sun   and 

Divine  )               Dense  ) 
Life       f  spirit     Vital    ^body 

The  Aryan  Races 

2—  The  Stragglers  of 
the  Moon  Period... 

Divine  )               Dense  )  • 
?  spirit     Vital    ?  body 
Life       )               Desire  ) 

The  Mongolians,  Af- 
ricans, and  all  lower 
Races 

3—  (a)  The  Stragglers 
of  the  Saturn  Pe- 
riod   

(b)  The  Stragglers 
of  the  Sun  Period.. 

All  the 

(c)  Pioneers  of  the 
new  Sun  life  wave. 

>  spirit                 >  body 
Life       )               Vital  1 

above   belong   to  our 
Same  as  3a  and  3b  

Anthropoids 

life  wave 
Animals 

4—  (a)    Stragglers  .of 

Plant  Kingdom 

(b)  Pioneers  of  the 
new  Moon  life  wave 

Same  as  4a  

Flowers  and  grasses 

5—  (a)    Stragglers    of 

Mineral  Kingdom 

wave  

Sand,  soft  soils,  etc. 

wave  of  the  Earth 
Period  

STRAGGLERS  AND  NEWCOMERS  231 

is  nevertheless  a  very  serious  matter  to  be  held  in  a  state 
of  inertia  for  inconceivable  milliards  of  years,  before  a 
new  evolution  shall  have  progressed  to  such  a  stage  that 
those  who  fail  here  can  have  an  opportunity  to  proceed. 
The  spirit  is  not  conscious  of  the  lapse  of  time,  but  it  is 
none  the  less  a  serious  loss,  and  there  must  also  be  a 
feeling  of  unhomelikeness  when  at  last  such  spirits  find 
themselves  in  a  new  evolution. 

So  far  as  the  present  humanity  is  concerned,  that  possi- 
bility is  so  small  as  to  be  almost  negligible.  It  is  said, 
however,  that  of  the  total  number  of  virgin  spirits  which 
started  evolution  in  the  Saturn  Period,  only  about  three- 
fifths  will  pass  that  critical  point  in  the  next  Revolution 
and  go  on  to  the  end. 

The  greatest  apprehension  of  occult  scientists  is  material- 
ism, which  if  carried  too  far,  not  only  prevents  progress  but 
will  destroy  all  the  seven  vehicles  of  the  virgin  spirit,  leav- 
ing it  naked.  Such  an  one  will  then  have  to  commence  at 
the  very  beginning  of  the  new  evolution.  All  the  work  it 
has  done  since  the  dawn  of  the  Saturn  Period  will  have 
been  utterly  wasted.  For  this  reason,  the  present  period 
is  to  our  humanity,  the  most  critical  of  all.  Therefore 
occult  scientists  speak  of  the  sixteen  Races,  of  which  the 
Germano-Anglo-Saxon  is  one,  as  "the  sixteen  possibilities 
for  destruction."  May  the  reader  safely  pass  them  all,  for 
their  grip  is  worse  than  the  retardation  in  the  next 
Revolution. 

Speaking  generally,  class  5  in  the  foregoing  list  was 
given  the  germ  of  divine  spirit  in  the  seventh  Revolution, 
when  the  Lords  of  Flame  reappeared.  Therefore  they  were 
the  pioneers  of  the  last  life  wave,  which  entered  evolution 
in  the  beginning  of  the  Moon  Period.  They  passed  their 


232  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

mineral  existence  there.  The  stragglers  of  that  life  wave 
were  thus  left  with  only  the  germ  of  a  dense  body. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  there  was  also  a  new  life  wave 
(our  present  mineral  kingdom)  entering  upon  its  evolution 
at  the  beginning  of  the  Earth  Period. 

At  the  end  of  the  Moon  Period  these  classes  possessed 
the  vehicles  as  they  are  classified  in  diagram  10,  and  started 
with  them  in  the  beginning  of  the  Earth  Period.  During 
the  time  which  has  elapsed  since  then,  the  human  kingdom 
has  been  evolving  the  link  of  mind,  and  has  thereby 
attained  full  waking  consciousness.  The  animals  have 
obtained  a  desire  body;  the  plants  a  vital  body;  the  strag- 
glers of  the  life  wave  which  entered  evolution  in  the  Moon 
Period  have  escaped  the  hard  and  fast  conditions  of  rock 
formation  and  now  their  dense  bodies  compose  our  softer 
soils;  while  the  life  wave  that  entered  evolution  here  in 
the  Earth  Period  forms  the  hard  rocks  and  stones. 

Thus  have  the  different  classes  obtained  the  vehicles 
ascribed  to  them  in  diagram  3,  to  which  the  reader  is 
referred. 


CHAPTEK  X. 
THE  EARTH  PERIOD. 

THE  Globes  of  the  Earth  Period  are  located  in  the 
four  densest  states  of  matter — the  Region  of  Con- 
crete Thought,  the  Desire  World,  the  Etheric,  and 
the  Chemical  Regions  (See  Diagram  8).  The  densest  Globe 
(Globe  D)  is  our  present  Earth. 

When  we  speak  of  "the  densest  Worlds,"  or  the  "densest 
states  of  matter,"  the  term  must  be  taken  in  a  relative 
sense.  Otherwise  it  would  imply  a  limitation  in  the  Abso- 
lute, and  that  is  absurd.  Dense  and  attenuated,  like  up 
and  down,  east  and  west,  are  applicable  only  relatively  to 
our  own  status  or  position.  As  there  are  higher,  finer 
Worlds  than  those  touched  by  our  life  wave,  so  there  are  also 
denser  states  of  matter  which  are  the  fields  of  evolution 
for  other  classes  of  beings.  Nor  must  it  be  thought  that 
these  denser  worlds  are  elsewhere  in  space ;  they  interpene- 
trate our  worlds  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  in  which  the 
higher  Worlds  interpenetrate  this  Earth.  The  fancied 
solidity  of  the  Earth  and  the  forms  we  see  is  no  bar  to  the 
passage  of  a  denser  body  any  more  than  our  solid  dense 
walls  bar  the  passage  of  a  human  being  clothed  in  his  de- 
sire body.  Neither  is  solidity  synonymous  with  density,  as 
may  be  illustrated  by  aluminum,  a  solid  which  is  less  dense 
than  the  fluidic  mercury;  nevertheless  the  latter,  in  spite 
of  its  density,  will  evaporate  or  exude  through  many  solids. 
This  being  the  fourth  Period,  we  have  at  present  four 

232 


234  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

elements.  In  the  Saturn  Period  there  was  but  one  element, 
Fire — i.  e.,  there  was  warmth,  or  heat,  which  is  incipient 
fire.  In  the  second,  or  Sun  Period,  there  were  two  ele- 
ments, Fire  and  Air.  In  the  third,  or  Moon  Period,  there 
were  three  elements,  Water  being  added ;  and  in  the  fourth, 
or  Earth  Period,  was  added  the  fourth  element,  Earth. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  a  new  element  was  added  for 
each  Period. 

In  the  Jupiter  Period  an  element  of  a  spiritual  nature 
will  be  added,  which  will  unite  with  the  speech  so  that 
words  will  invariably  carry  with  them  understanding — 
not  misunderstanding,  as  is  frequently  the  case  now.  For 
instance,  when  one  says  "house,"  he  may  mean  a  cottage, 
while  the  hearer  may  get  the  idea  of  a  tenement  flat 
building. 

To  this  environment  of  the  four  elements,  as  specified 
above,  the  different  classes  mentioned  in  diagram  10  were 
brought  over  by  the  Hierarchies  in  charge  of  them.  We 
remember  that  in  the  Moon  Period  these  classes  formed 
three  kingdoms — animal,  animal-plant  and  plant-mineral. 
Here  on  Earth,  however,  the  conditions  are  such  that  there 
can  be  no  large  half-way  classes.  There  must  be  four  dis- 
tinctly different  kingdoms.  In  this  crystallized  phase  of 
existence  the  lines  between  them  must  be  more  sharply 
drawn  than  was  the  case  in  former  Periods,  where  one  king- 
dom gradually  merged  into  the  next.  Therefore  some  of 
the  classes  mentioned  in  diagram  10  advanced  one-half 
step,  while  others  went  back  half  a  step. 

Some  of  the  mineral-plants  advanced  completely  into 
the  plant  kingdom  and  became  the  verdure  of  the  fields. 
Others  went  down  and  became  the  purely  mineral  soil  in 
which  the  plants  grew.  Of  the  plant-animals  some  ad- 
vanced into  the  animal  kingdom,  ahead  of  time,  and  those 


THE  EARTH  PERIOD  235 

species  have  yet  the  colorless  plant-blood,  and  some,  like 
star-fishes,  have  even  the  five  points  like  the  petals  of 
flowers. 

All  of  class  2  whose  desire  bodies  could  be  divided  into 
two  parts  (as  was  the  case  with  all  of  class  1)  were  fitted 
to  become  human  vehicles  and  were  therefore  advanced 
into  the  human  group. 

We  must  carefully  remember  that  in  the  above  para- 
graphs we  are  dealing  with  Form,  not  with  the  Life  which 
dwells  in  the  Form.  The  instrument  is  graded  to  suit  the 
life  that  is  to  dwell  in  it.  Those  of  class  2,  in  whose 
vehicles  the  above  mentioned  division  could  be  made  were 
raised  to  the  human  kingdom,  but  were  given  the  indwell- 
ing spirit  at  a  point  in  time  later  than  class  1.  Hence, 
they  are  not  now  so  far  evolved  as  class  1,  and  are  there- 
fore the  lower  races  of  mankind. 

Those  whose  desire  bodies  were  incapable  of  division 
were  put  into  the  same  division  as  classes  3a  and  3b.  They 
are  our  present  anthropoids.  These  may  yet  overtake  our 
evolution  if  they  reach  a  sufficient  degree  of  advancement 
before  the  critical  point  already  mentioned,  which  will 
come  in  the  middle  of  the  fifth  Revolution.  If  they  do  not 
overtake  us  by  that  time,  they  will  have  lost  touch  with 
our  evolution. 

It  was  said  that  man  had  built  his  threefold  body  by 
the  help  of  others  higher  than  he,  but  in  the  previous 
Period  there  was  no  co-ordinating  power;  the  threefold 
spirit,  the  Ego,  was  separate  and  apart  from  its  vehicles. 
Now  the  time  had  come  to  unite  the  spirit  and  the  body. 

Where  the  desire  body  separated,  the  higher  part  became 
somewhat  master  over  the  lower  part  and  over  the  dense 
and  vital  bodies.  It  formed  a  sort  of  animal-soul  with 
which  the  spirit  could  unite  by  means  of  the  link  of  mind. 


236  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Where  there  was  no  division  of  the  desire  body,  the  vehicle 
was  given  over  to  desires  and  passions  without  any  check, 
and  could  therefore  not  be  used  as  a  vehicle  within  which 
the  spirit  could  dwell.  So  it  was  put  under  the  control  of  a 
group-spirit  which  ruled  it  from  without.  It  became  an 
animal  body,  and  that  kind  has  now  degenerated  into  the. 
body  of  the  anthropoid. 

Where  there  was  a  division  of  the  desire  body,  the  dense 
body  gradually  assumed  a  vertical  position,  thus  taking 
the  spine  out  of  the  horizontal  currents  of  the  Desire 
World  in  which  the  group-spirit  acts  upon  the  animal 
through  the  horizontal  spine.  The  Ego  could  then  enter, 
work  in  and  express  itself  through  the  vertical  spine  and 
build  the  vertical  larynx  and  brain  for  its  adequate  expres- 
sion in  the  dense  body.  A  horizontal  larynx  is  also  under 
the  domination  of  the  group-spirit.  While  it  is  true  that 
some  animals,  as  the  starling,  raven,  parrot,  etc.,  previ- 
ously mentioned,  are  able,  because  of  the  possession  of  a 
vertical  larynx,  to  utter  words,  they  cannot  use  them  under- 
standingly.  The  use  of  words  to  express  thought  is  the 
highest  human  privilege  and  can  be  exercised  only  by  a 
reasoning,  thinking  entity  like  man.  If  the  student  will 
keep  this  in  mind,  it  will  be  easier  to  follow  the  different 
steps  which  lead  up  to  this  result.. 

THE  SATURN  REVOLUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  PERIOD. 

This  is  the  Revolution  during  which,  in  each  Period, 
the  dense  body  is  reconstructed.  This  time  it  was  given  the 
ability  to  form  a  brain  and  become  a  vehicle  for  the  germ 
of  mind  which  was  to  be  added  later.  This  addition 
constituted  the  final  reconstruction  of  the  dense  body,  ren- 
dering it  capable  of  attaining  the  highest  degree  of  effi- 
ciency possible  to  such  a  vehicle. 

Unspeakable  Wisdom  has  been  employed  in  its  construe- 


THE  EARTH  PERIOD  237 

tion.  It  is  a  marvel.  It  can  never  be  sufficiently  im- 
pressed upon  the  mind  of  the  student  what  immeasurable 
facilities  for  the  gaining  of  knowledge  are  contained  in 
this  instrument,  and  what  a  great  boon  it  is  to  man;  how 
much  he  should  prize  it  and  how  thankful  he  should  be 
to  have  it. 

Some  examples  of  the  perfection  of  construction  and 
intelligent  adaptability  displayed  in  this  instrument  have 
previously  been  given,  but  in  order  to  further  impress  this 
great  truth  upon  the  mind  of  the  student,  it  might  not  be 
out  of  place  to  illustrate  more  fully  this  Wisdom,  also  the 
work  of  the  Ego  in  the  blood. 

It  is  generally  known,  in  a  vague  kind  of  way,  that  the 
gastric  juice  acts  upon  the  food  to  promote  assimilation; 
but  only  a  very  few  people,  outside  of  the  medical  profes- 
sion, are  aware  that  there  are  many  different  gastric  juices, 
each  appropriate  to  the  treatment  of  a  certain  kind  of 
food.  The  researches  of  Pavloff,  however,  have  established 
the  fact  beyond  doubt,  that  there  is  one  kind  of  juice  for 
the  digestion  of  meat,  another  for  milk,  another  for  acid 
fruit,  etc.  That  fact,  by  the  way,  is  the  reason  why  all 
foods  do  not  mix  well.  Milk,  for  instance,  requires  a 
gastric  juice  that  is  widely  different  from  almost  any  other 
kind  except  that  required  for  the  digestion  of  starchy 
foods,  and  is  not  readily  digested  with  any  food  other  than 
cereals.  This  alone  would  show  marvelous  wisdom;  that 
the  Ego  working  subconsciously  is  able  to  select  the  differ- 
ent juices  which  are  appropriate  to  the  different  kinds  of 
food  taken  into  the  stomach,  making  each  of  just  the  right 
strength  and  quantity  to  digest  the  food.  What  makes 
the  matter  still  more  wonderful,  however,  is  the  fact  that 
the  gastric  -'uice  is  poured  into  the  stomach  in  advance  of 
the  food. 


238  ROSICRUC1AN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

We  do  not  consciously  direct  the  process  of  mixing  this 
fluid.  The  great  majority  of  people  know  nothing  of 
metabolism  or  any  other  phase  of  chemistry.  So  it  is  not 
enough  to  say  that,  as  we  taste  what  is  coming,  we  direct 
the  process  hy  means  of  signals  through  the  nervous 
system. 

When  this  fact  of  the  selection  of  juices  was  first  proven, 
scientists  were  sorely  puzzled  trying  to  learn  how  the  right 
kind  of  juice  was  selected  and  caused  to  enter  the  stomach 
before  the  food.  They  thought  the  signal  was  given  along 
the  nervous  system.  But  it  was  demonstrated  beyond  doubt 
that  the  proper  juice  was  poured  into  the  stomach  even 
though  the  nervous  system  was  blocked. 

At  last  Starling  and  Bayliss,  in  a  series  of  experiments 
of  brilliant  ingenuity,  proved  that  infinitesimal  parts  of 
the  food  are  taken  up  by  the  blood  as  soon  as  the  food  en- 
ters the  mouth,  go  in  advance  to  the  digestive  glands  and 
cause  a  flow  of  the  proper  juice. 

This  again,  is  only  the  physical  side  of  the  phenomena. 
To  understand  the  whole  wonderful  connection,  we  must 
turn  to  occult  science.  That  alone  explains  why  the  signal 
is  carried  by  the  blood. 

The  blood  is  one  of  the  highest  expressions  of  the  vital 
body.  The  Ego  guides  and  controls  its  dense  instrument 
by  means  of  the  blood,  therefore  the  blood  is  also  the  means 
used  to  act  on  the  nervous  system.  During  some  of  the 
time  that  digestion  is  going  on,  it  acts  partially  through  the 
nervous  system,  but  (especially  at  the  commencement  of 
the  digestive  process)  it  acts  directly  upon  the  stomach. 
When,  during  scientific  experiments,  the  nerves  were 
blocked,  the  direct  way  through  the  blood  was  still  open  and 
the  Ego  derived  the  necessary  information  in  that  way. 

It  will  also  be  seen  that  the  blood  is  driven  to  wherever 


239 

the  Ego  unfolds  the  greatest  activity  at  any  time.  If  a 
situation  requires  sudden  thought  and  action,  the  blood  is 
promptly  driven  to  the  head.  If  a  heavy  meal  is  to  be 
digested  the  greater  portion  of  the  blood  leaves  the  head, 
centering  around  the  digestive  organs.  The  Ego  concen- 
trates its  efforts  on  ridding  the  body  of  the  useless  food. 
Therefore  a  man  connot  think  well  after  a  heavy  meal.  He 
is  sleepy  because  so  much  blood  has  left  the  brain  that  the 
residue  is  insufficient  to  carry  on  the  functions  necessary 
to  full  waking  consciousness,  besides,  nearly  all  the  vital 
fluid  or  solar  energy  specialized  by  the  spleen  is  absorbed 
by  the  blood  rushing  through  that  organ  after  a  meal  in 
greater  volume  than  between  meals.  Thus  the  rest  of  the 
system  is  also  deprived  of  the  vital  fluid  in  a  large  measure 
during  digestion.  It  is  the  Ego  that  drives  the  blood  into 
the  brain.  Whenever  the  body  goes  to  sleep,  the  blood 
leaves  the  brain,  as  may  be  proven  by  placing  a  man  on  a 
balanced  table.  When  he  goes  to  sleep,  the  table  will 
invariably  tip  towards  the  feet,  raising  the  head.  During 
coition  the  blood  is  centered  in  the  sex  organs,  etc.  All 
these  examples  tend  to  prove  that  during  the  waking  hours, 
the  Ego  works  in  and  controls  the  dense  body  by  means  of 
the  blood.  The  larger  portion  of  the  total  amount  goes  to 
that  part  of  the  body  where  at  any  given  time,  the  Ego 
unfolds  any  particular  activity. 

The  reconstruction  of  the  dense  body  in  the  Saturn 
Revolution  of  the  Earth  Period  was  for  the  purpose  of 
rendering  it  capable  of  inter-penetration  by  the  mind.  It 
gave  the  first  impulse  to  the  buiWing  of  the  frontal  part  of 
the  brain ;  also  the  incipient  division  in  the  nervous  system 
which  has  since  become  apparent  in  its  subdivisions — the 
voluntary  and  the  sympathetic.  The  latter  was  the  only 
one  provided  for  in  the  Moon  Period.  The  voluntary  nerv- 


24U  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

ous  system  (which  has  transformed  the  dense  body  from  a 
mere  automaton  acting  under  stimuli  from  without,  to  an 
extraordinary  adaptable  instrument  capable  of  being  guided 
and  controlled  by  an  Ego  from  within)  was  not  added 
until  the  present  Earth  Period. 

The  principal  part  of  this  reconstructive  work  was  done 
by  the  Lords  of  Form.  They  are  the  Creative  Hierarchy 
which  is  most  active  in  the  Earth  Period,  as  were  the  Lords 
of  Flame  in  the  Saturn  Period,  the  Lords  of  Wisdom  in 
the  Sun  Period,  and  the  Lords  of  Individuality  in  the 
Moon  Period. 

The  Earth  Period  is  pre-eminently  the  Period  of  Form, 
for  here  the  form  or  matter  side  of  evolution  reaches  its 
greatest  and -most  pronounced  state.  Here  spirit  is  more 
helpless  and  suppressed  and  Form  is  the  most  dominant 
factor — hence  the  prominence  of  the  Lords  of  Form. 

THE  SUN  REVOLUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  PERIOD. 

During  this  Revolution  the  vital  body  was  reconstructed 
to  accommodate  the  germinal  mind.  The  vital  body  was 
fashioned  more  in  the  likeness  of  the  dense  body,  so  that 
it  could  become  fitted  for  use  as  the  densest  vehicle  during 
the  Jupiter  Period,  when  the  dense  body  will  have  become 
spiritualized — as  explained  later  in  this  work. 

The  Angels,  who  were  the  humanity  of  the  Moon  Period, 
were  aided  by  the  Lords  of  Form  in  this  reconstruction. 
The  organization  of  the  vital  body  is  now  next  in  efficiency 
to  that  of  the  dense  body.  Some  writers  on  this  subject  call 
the  former  a  link,  and  contend  that  it  is  simply  the  mold" 
of  the  dense  body,  and  not  a  separate  vehicle. 

While  not  desiring  to  criticise,  and  while  admitting  that 
this  contention  appears  to  be  justified  by  the  fact  that  man, 
at  his  present  stage  of  evolution,  cannot  ordinarily  use  the 


THE  EARTH  PERIOD  241 

vital  body  as  a  separate  vehicle — because  it  always  remains 
with  the  dense  body  and  to  extract  it  in  toto  would  cause 
the  death  of  the  dense  body — yet  there  was  a  time  when  it 
was  not  so  firmly  incorporated  with  the  latter,  as  we  shall 
presently  see. 

During  those  epochs  of  our  Earth's  history  which  have 
already  been  mentioned  as  the  Lemurian  and  the  Atlantean, 
man  was  involuntarily  clairvoyant,  and  it  was  precisely 
this  looseness  of  connection  between  the  dense  and  the 
vital  bodies  that  made  him  so.  (The  Initiators  of  that 
time  helped  the  candidate  to  loosen  the  connection  still 
further,  as  in  the  voluntary  clairvoyant). 

Since  then  the  vital  body  has  become  much  more  firmly 
interwoven  with  the  dense  body  in  the  majority  of  people, 
but  in  all  sensitives  it  is  loose.  It  is  that  looseness  which 
constitutes  the  difference  between  the  psychic  and  the 
ordinary  person  who  is  unconscious  of  all  but  the  vibrations 
contacted  by  means  of  the  five  senses.  All  human  beings 
have  to  pass  through  this  period  of  close  connection  of  the 
vehicles  and  experience  the  consequent  limitation  of  con- 
sciousness. There  are,  therefore,  two  classes  of  sensitives, 
those  who  have  not  become  firmly  enmeshed  in  matter, 
such  as  the  majority  of  the  Hindoos,  the  Indians,  etc.,  who 
possess  a  certain  low  grade  of  clairvoyance,  or  are  sensitive 
to  the  sounds  of  nature,  and  those  who  are  in  the  vanguard 
of  evolution.  The  latter  are  emerging  from  the  acme  of 
materiality,  and  are  again  divisible  into  two  kinds,  one  of 
which  develops  in  a  passive,  weak-willed  manner.  By 
the  help  of  others  they  re-awaken  the  solar  plexus  or  other 
organs  in  connection  with  the  involuntary  nervous  system. 
These  are  therefore  involuntary  clairvoyants,  mediums  who 
have  no  control  of  their  faculty.  They  have  retrograded. 
The  other  kind  is  made  up  of  those  who  by  their  own  wills, 


24:2  ROSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

unfold  the  vibratory  powers  of  organs  now  connected  with 
the  voluntary  nervous  system  and  thus  become  trained 
occultists,  controlling  their  own  bodies  and  exercising  the 
clairvoyant  faculty  as  they  will  to  do.  They  are  called 
voluntary  or  trained  clairvoyants. 

In  the  Jupiter  Period  man  will  function  in  his  vital 
body  as  he  now  does  in  his  dense  body ;  and  as  no  develop- 
ment in  nature  is  sudden,  the  process  of  separating  the 
two  bodies  has  already  commenced.  The  vital  body  will 
then  attain  a  much  higher  degree  of  efficiency  than  the 
dense  body  of  today.  As  it  is  a  much  more  pliable  vehicle, 
the  spirit  will  then  be  able  to  use  it  in  a  manner  impossible 
of  realization  in  the  case  of  the  present  dense  vehicle. 
THE  MOON  REVOLUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  PERIOD. 

Here  the  Moon  Period  was  recapitulated,  and  much  the 
same  conditions  prevailed  (on  an  advanced  scale)  as  ob- 
tained on  Globe  D  of  that  Period.  There  was  the  same 
kind  of  fire-fog  atmosphere;  the  same  fiery  core;  the  same 
division  of  the  Globe  into  two  parts,  in  order  to  allow  the 
more  highly  evolved  beings  a  chance  to  progress  at  the 
proper  rate  and  pace,  which  it  would  be  impossible  for 
beings  such  as  our  humanity  to  equal. 

In  that  Revolution  the  Archangels  (humanity  of  the 
Sun  Period)  and  the  Lords  of  Form  took  charge  of  the 
reconstruction  of  the  desire  body,  but  they  were  not  alone 
in  that  work.  When  the  separation  of  the  Globe  into  two 
parts  occurred,  there  was  a  similar  division  in  the  desire 
bodies  of  some  of  the  evolving  beings.  We  have  already 
noted  that  where  this  division  took  place,  the  form  was 
ready  to  become  the  vehicle  of  an  indwellng  spirit,  and  in 
order  to  further  this  purpose  the  Lords  of  Mind  (humanity 
of  the  Saturn  Period)  took  possession  of  the  higher  parv 
of  the  desire  body  and  implanted  in  it  the  separate  selk 


THE  EAETH  PERIOD  243 

hood,  without  which  the  present  man  with  all  his  glorious 
possibilities,  could  never  have  existed. 

Thus  in  the  latter  part  of  the  Moon  Revolution  the 
first  germ  of  separate  personality  was  implanted  in  the 
higher  part  of  the  desire  body  by  the  Lords  of  Mind. 

The  Archangels  were  active  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
desire  body,  giving  it  the  purely  animal  desires.  They 
also  worked  in  the  desire  bodies  where  there  was  no  divi- 
sion. Some  of  these  were  to  become  the  vehicles  of  the 
animal  group-spirits,  which  work  on  them  from  without, 
but  do  not  enter  wholly  into  the  animal  forms,  as  the  indi- 
vidual spirit  does  into  the  human  body. 

The  desire  body  was  reconstructed  to  render  it  capable  of 
being  interpenetrated  by  the  germinal  mind  which,  during 
the  Earth  Period,  will  be  implanted  in  all  those  desire 
bodies  in  which  it  was  possible  to  make  the  before-men- 
tioned division. 

As  has  been  previously  explained,  the  desire  body  is  an 
unorganized  ovoid,  holding  the  dense  body  as  a  dark  spot 
within  its  center,  as  the  white  of  an  egg  surrounds  the  yolk. 
There  are  a  number  of  sense  centers  in  the  ovoid,  which 
have  appeared  since  the  beginning  of  the  Earth  Period.  In 
the  average  human  being  these  centers  appear  merely  as 
eddies  in  a  current  and  are  not  now  awake,  hence  his 
desire  body  is  of  no  use  to  him  as  a  separate  vehicle  of  con- 
sciousness; but  when  the  sense  centers  are  awakened  they 
look  like  whirling  vortices. 

REST  PERIODS  BETWEEN  REVOLUTIONS. 

Hitherto  we  have  noted  only  the  Cosmic  Nights  between 
Periods.  We  saw  that  there  was  an  interval  of  rest  and 
assimilation  between  the  Saturn  and  the  Sun  Periods; 
another  Cosmic  Night  between  the  Sun  and  the  Moon 


244  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Periods,  etc.  But  in  addition  to  these,  there  are  also  rests 
between  the  Revolutions. 

We  might  liken  the  Periods  to  the  different  incarnations 
of  man;  the  Cosmic  Nights  between  them  to  the  intervals 
between  deaths  and  new  births ;  and  the  rest  between  Revo- 
lutions would  then  be  analogous  to  the  rest  of  sleep  between 
two  days. 

When  a  Cosmic  Night  sets  in,  all  manifested  things  are 
resolved  into  a  homogeneous  mass — the  Cosmos  again 
becomes  Chaos. 

This  periodical  return  of  matter  to  primordial  substance 
is  what  makes  it  possible  for  the  spirit  to  evolve.  Were  the 
crystallizing  process  of  active  manifestation  to  continue 
indefinitely  it  would  offer  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  the 
progress  of  Spirit.  Every  time  matter  has  crystallized  to 
such  a  degree  that  it  becomes  too  hard  for  the  spirit  to 
work  in,  the  latter  withdraws  to  recuperate  its  exhausted 
energy,  on  the  same  principle  that  a  power-drill  which  has 
stopped  when  boring  in  hard  metals,  is  withdrawn  to 
regain  its  momentum.  It  is  then  able  to  bore  its  way 
further  into  the  metal. 

Freed  from  the  crystallizing  energy  of  the  evolving  spir- 
its, the  chemical  forces  in  matter  turn  Cosmos  to  Chaos  by 
restoring  matter  to  its  primordial  state,  that  a  new  start 
may  be  made  by  the  regenerated  virgin  spirits  a]t  the  dawn 
of  a  new  Day  of  Manifestation.  The  experience  gained  in 
former  Periods  and  Revolutions  enables  the  Spirit  to  build 
up  to  the  point  last  reached,  with  comparative  celerity, 
also  to  facilitate  further  progress  by  making  such  altera- 
tions as  its  cumulative  experience  dictates. 

Thus  at  the  end  of  the  Moon  Revolution  of  the  Earth 
Period,  all  the  Globes  and  all  life  returned  to  Chaos,  re- 


THE  EARTH  PERIOD  245 

emerging  therefrom  at  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  Revo- 
lution. 

THE  FOURTH  REVOLUTION  OF  THE  EAKTH  PERIOD. 

In  the  exceeding  complexity  of  the  scheme  of  evolution, 
there  are  always  spirals  within  spirals,  ad  infinitum.  So 
it  will  not  be  surprising  to  learn  that  in  every  Revolution 
the  work  of  recapitulation  and  rest  is  applied  to  the  differ- 
ent Globes.  When  the  life  wave  reappeared  on  Globe  A 
in  this  Revolution,  it  went  through  the  development  of  the 
Saturn  period;  then  after  a  rest  which,  however,  did  not 
involve  the  complete  destruction  of  the  Globe,  but  only  an 
alteration,  it  appeared  on  Globe  B,  where  the  work  of  the 
Sun  Period  was  recapitulated.  Then  after  a  rest,  the  life 
wave  passed  on  to  Globe  C,  and  the  work  of  the  Moon 
Period  was  repeated.  Finally,  the  life  wave  arrived  on 
Globe  D,  which  is  our  Earth,  and  not  until  then  did  the 
proper  work  of  the  Earth  Period  begin. 

Even  then,  the  spiral  within  the  spiral  precluded  its 
beginning  immediately  on  the  arrival  of  th3  life  wave 
from  Globe  C,  for  the  bestowal  of  the  germ  of  mind  did 
not  actually  take  place  until  the  fourth  Epoch,  the  three 
first  Epochs  being  still  further  recapitulations  of  the  Sat- 
urn, Sun  and  Moon  Periods,  but  always  on  a  higher  scale. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  GENESIS  AND  EVOLUTION  OF  OUR  SOLAR  SYSTEM. 
Chaos. 

IN  the  previous  pages  nothing  has  been  said  about  our 
Solar  System,  and  of  the  different  planets  which 
compose  it,  because  it  was  not  until  the  Earth  Period 
was  reached  that  the  present  differentiation  was  made. 
The  Earth  Period  is  the  acme  of  diversification,  and 
although  we  have  been  speaking  of  only  one  class  of  virgin 
spirits — those  who,  in  the  strictest  and  most  limited  sense, 
are  concerned  with  the  Earth  evolution — there  are  in  real- 
ity seven  "Rays"  or  streams  of  life,  all  pursuing  different 
evolutions,  yet  all  belonging  to  the  original  class  of  virgin 
spirits  to  which  our  humanity  belongs. 

In  the  previous  Periods  all  of  these  different  sub-classes 
or  Rays  found  a  suitable  environment  for  their  evolution 
on  the  same  planet.  But,  in  the  Earth  Period,  conditions 
became  such  that  in  order  to  provide  for  each  class  the 
degree  of  heat  and  the  vibration  necessary  for  its  particu- 
lar phase  of  evolution,  they  were  segregated  on  different 
planets,  at  varying  distances  from  the  Sun — the  central 
source  of  life.  This  is  the  raison  d'etre  of  our  System 
and  all  the  other  Solar  Systems  in  the  Universe. 

Before  proceeding  with  the  description  of  the  evolution 
of  our  humanity  on  the  Earth  after  its  separation  from 
the  central  Sun,  it  is  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of 
sequential  order  in  the  description  to  explain  the  differen- 
tiation which  scattered  the  planets  of  our  System  in  space. 

246 


GENESIS  AND  EVOLUTION  OF  SOLAR  SYSTEM          247 

Active  manifestation — particularly  in  the  Physical 
World — depends  upon  separateness ;  upon  the  limitation 
of  life  by  form.  But  during  the  interim  between  Periods 
and  Eevolutions  the  marked  distinction  between  form  and 
life  ceases.  This  applies  not  only  to  man  and  the  lower 
kingdoms,  but  to  the  Worlds  and  Globes  which  are  the 
basis  of  form  for  the  evolving  life.  Only  the  seed-atoms 
and  the  nuclei  or  centers  of  the  World-Globes  remain — 
all  else  is  one  homogeneous  substance.  There  is  but  one 
Spirit  pervading  space.  Life  and  Form,  its  positive  and 
negative  poles,  are  one. 

This  state  of  things  was  what  Greek  mythology  de- 
scribed as  "Chaos."  The  ancient  Norsemen  and  the  Teu- 
tonic mythology  call  it  "Ginnungagap,''  which  was  bounded 
upon  the  northern  side  by  the  cold  and  foggy  "Xiflheim" 
— the  land  of  mist  and  fog — and  upon  the  south  side  by 
the  fire  "Muspelheim."  When  heat  and  cnld  entered  the 
space  which  was  occupied  by  Chaos  or  Ginnungagap,  they 
caused  the  crystallization  of  the  visible  universe. 

The  Bible  also  gives  one  the  idea  of  infinite  space  pre- 
ceding the  activity  of  Spirit. 

In  our  present  materialistic  period  we  have  unfortunate- 
ly lost  the  idea  of  all  that  lies  behind  that  word  Space. 
We  are  so  accustomed  to  speaking  of  "empty"  space,  or 
the  "great  void"  of  space,  that  we  have  entirely  lost  the 
grand  and  holy  significance  of  the  word,  and  are  thus  in- 
capable of  feeling  the  reverence  that  this  idea  of  Space 
and  Chaos  should  inspire  in  our  breasts. 

To  the  Rosicrucians,  as  to  any  occult  school,  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  empty  or  void  space.  To  them  space  is  ^pirit 
in  its  attenuated  form;  while  matter  is  crystallized  space 
or  Spirit.  Spirit  in  manifestation  is  dual ;  that  which  we 
eee  as  Form  is  the  negative  manifestation  of  Spirit — crys- 


248  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

tallized  and  inert.  The  positive  pole  of  Spirit  manifests 
as  Life,  galvanizing  the  negative  Form  into  action,  but 
both  Life  and  Form  originated  in  Spirit,  Space,  Chaos ! 

To  get  an  idea  from  everyday  life  which  will  illustrate, 
we  may  take  the  hatching  of  an  egg.  The  egg  is  fiUed 
with  a  moderately  viscous  fluid.  This  fluid,  or  moisture, 
is  subjected  to  heat,  and  out  of  the  soft,  fluidic  substance 
comes  a  living  chick,  with  hard  bones  and  comparatively 
hard  flesh,  and  with  down  that  has  a  comparatively  hard 
quill,  etc. 

When  a  living  chick  can  come  out  of  the  inert  fluid  of 
an  egg  without  the  addition  of  any  hardening  substance 
from  outside,  is  it  a  far-fetched  idea  to  claim  that  the 
universe  is  crystallized  Space  or  Spirit  ?  There  is  no  doubt 
that  the  claim  will  seem  foolish  to  many;  but  this  book 
is  not  for  the  purpose  of  convincing  the  world  at  large 
that  these  things  are.  It  is  intended  to  aid  those  who 
inherently  feel  that  these  things  must  be  and  to  help  them 
to  see  the  light  upon  this  great  World-mystery,  which  the 
writer  has  been  permitted  to  behold.  The  special  object 
at  present  is  to  show  that  Spirit  is  active  all  the  time — in 
one  way  during  Manifestation,  and  in  another  during 
Chaos. 

Modern  science  would  sneer  at  the  idea  that  life  could 
exist  upon  a  Globe  which  is  in  the  process  of  formation. 
That  is  because  science  cannot  dissociate  Life  and  Form 
and  cannot  conceive  of  Form  except  as  solid  and  tangible 
— cognizable  by  one  of  our  five  physical  senses. 

The  occult  scientist,  in  accordance  with  the  above  defini- 
tions of  Life  and  Form,  holds  that  Life  may  exist  inde- 
pendently of  Concrete  Form;  may  have  Forms  not  per- 
ceptible to  our  present  limited  senses,  and  amenable  to 


GENESIS  AND  EVOLUTION  OF  SOLAR  SYSTEM          249 

none  of  the  laws  which  apply  to  this  present  concrete  state 
of  matter. 

It  is  true  that  the  Nebular  Theory  holds  that  all  ex- 
istence (which  is  to  say  all  Form,  the  Worlds  in  Space 
and  whatever  Forms  there  may  be  upon  them)  has  come 
from  the  fiery  nebula ;  but  it  does  not  recognize  the  further 
fact  insisted  upon  by  occult  science — that  the  fiery  nebula 
is  Spirit.  It  does  not  admit  that  the  whole  atmosphere 
around  us,  the  space  between  the  worlds,  is  Spirit  and 
that  there  is  a  constant  interchange  going  on  all  the 
time — Form  dissolving  into  Space,  and  Space  crystallizing 
into  Form. 

Chaos  is  not  a  state  which  has  existed  in  the  past  and 
has  now  entirely  disappeared.  It  is  all  around  us  at 
the  present  moment.  Were  it  not  that  old  forms — having 
outlived  their  usefulness — are  constantly  being  resolved 
back  into  that  Chaos,  which  is  also  as  constantly  giving 
birth  to  new  forms,  there  could  be  no  progress;  the  work 
of  evolution  would  cease  and  stagnation  would  prevent 
the  possibility  of  advancement. 

It  is  axiomatic  that  "The  oftener  we  die,  the  better  we 
live."  The  Poet-Initiate,  Geothe,  says: 

Who  has  not  this — 
Ever  dying  and   bringing  to  birth — 
Will  aye  remain  a  sorry  guest 
Upon  this  dismal  earth. 

and  Paul  says,  "I  die  daily." 

Therefore,  as  students  of  occult  science,  it  is  necessary 
to  realize  that  even  during  active  manifestation,  it  is 
Chaos  that  is  the  basis  of  all  progress.  Our  life  during 
Chaos  is  based  upon  our  life  in  active  manifestation,  and 
vice  versa,  i.  e.,  what  we  are  able  to  achieve  during  active 
manifestation,  and  the  ability  to  progress  at  all,  is  the 


250  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

result  of  the  existence  in  Chaos.  The  interim  between 
Periods  and  Revolutions  is  in  reality  much  more  impor- 
tant to  the  growth  of  the  soul  than  concrete  existence, 
though  the  latter  is  the  basis  of  the  former  and  therefore 
cannot  be  dispensed  with.  The  importance  of  the  Chaotic 
interim  lies  in  the  fact  that  during  that  period  the  evolv- 
ing entities  of  all  classes  are  so  closely  united  that  they 
are  really  one;  consequently  those  which  are  of  lower 
development  during  manifestation  are  in  closest  contact 
with  the  more  highly  evolved,  thus  experiencing  and  ben- 
efiting by  a  much  higher  vibration  than  their  own.  This 
enables  them  to  live  over  and  assimilate  their  past  experi- 
ences in  a  manner  impossible  when  hampered  by  Form. 

We  have  seen  the  benefit  to  the  spirit  in  man  from  the 
interim  between  death  and  a  new  birth.  There  the  form 
still  exists,  though  much  more  attenuated  than  the  dense 
body;  but  in  the  Cosmic  Night  and  intervals  of  rest 
between  Periods  and  Revolutions,  where  there  is  perfect 
freedom  from  form,  the  beneficial  results  of  past  experi- 
ences can  be  much  more  effectively  assimilated. 

We  have  a  word  which  was  originally  coined  to  convey 
the  idea  of  the  state  of  things  between  manifestations. 
This  word,  however,  has  been  used  in  a  material  sense  to 
such  an  extent  that  it  has  lost  its  primal  significance. 
That  word  is  Gas. 

It  may  be  thought  that  this  is  a  very  old  word,  which 
has  nearly  always  existed  as  a  synonym  for  a  state  of 
matter  lighter  than  liquids,  but  such  is  not  the  case.  The 
word  was  first  used  in  "Physica,"  a  work  which  appeared 
in  1633,  the  author  of  it  being  Commenius,  a  Rosicrucian. 

Commenius  did  not  call  himself  a  Rosicrucian;  no  true 
Brother  does  so  publicly.  Only  the  Rosicrucian  knows  the 
brother  Rosicrucian.  Not  even  the  most  intimate  friends 


GENESIS  AND  EVOLUTION  OF  SOLAR  SYSTEM          251 

or  relatives  know  of  a  man's  connection  with  the  order. 
Those  only  who  are  Initiates  themselves  know  the  writers 
of  the  past  who  were  Rosicrucians,  because  ever  through 
their  works  shine  the  unmistakable  words,  phrases  and 
signs  indicative  of  the  deep  meaning  that  remains  hidden 
from  the  non-Initiate.  The  Eosicrucian  Fellowship  is 
composed  of  students  of  the  teachings  of  the  Order,  which 
are  now  given  publicly,  because  the  world's  intelligence  is 
growing  to  the  necessary  point  of  comprehension.  This 
work  is  one  of  the  first  few  fragments  of  the  Rosicrucian 
knowledge  being  publicly  given  out.  All  that  has  been 
printed  as  such,  previous  to  the  last  few  years,  has  been 
the  work  of  either  charlatans  or  traitors. 

Rosicrucians  such  as  Paracelsus,  Commenius,  Bacon, 
Hellmond  and  others  gave  hints  in  their  works  and  in- 
fluenced others.  The  great  controversy  concerning  the 
authorship  of  Shakespeare  (which  has  to  no  avail  blunted 
so  many  goose-quills  and  wasted  so  much  good  ink  that 
might  have  served  useful  ends)  would  never  have  arisen 
had  it  been  known  that  the  similarity  in  Shakespeare  and 
Bacon  is  due  to  the  fact  that  both  were  influenced  by  the 
same  Initiate,  who  also  influenced  Jacob  Boehme  and  a 
pastor  of  Ingolstadt,  Jacobus  Baldus,  who  lived  subsequent 
to  the  death  of  the  Bard  of  Avon,  and  wrote  Latin  lyric 
verse.  If  the  first  poem  of  Jacobus  Baldus  is  read  with  a 
certain  key,  it  will  be  found  that  by  reading  down  and  up 
the  lines,  the  following  sentence  will  appear:  "Hitherto 
I  have  spoken  from  across  the  sea  by  means  of  the  drama ; 
now  I  will  express  myself  in  lyrics." 

In  his  "Physica,"  Commenius,  the  Rosicrucian,  wrote: 
"Ad  hue  spiritum  incognitum  Gas  voco,"  i.  e.,  "This 
hitherto  unknown  Spirit  I  call  Gas."  Further  on  in  the 
same  work  he  says,  "This  vapor  which  I  have  called  Gas 


252  KOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

is  not  far  removed  from  the  Chaos  the  ancients  spoke  of." 
We  must  learn  to  think  of  Chaos  as  the  Spirit  of  God, 
which  pervades  every  part  of  infinity ;  it  will  then  be  seen 
in  its  true  light,  as  the  occult  maxim  puts  it:  "Chaos  is 
the  seed-ground  of  the  Cosmos,"  and  we  shall  no  longer 
wonder  how  "something  can  come  out  of  nothing,"  be- 
cause Space  is  not  synonymous  with  "nothing."  It  holds 
within  itself  the  germs  of  all  that  exists  during  a  physical 
manifestation,  yet  not  quite  all;  for  by  the  wedding  of 
Chaos  with  Cosmos  there  is  something  new  brought  forth 
each  time,  which  did  not  exist  before ;  something  that  was 
not  foreshown  and  latent.  The  name  of  that  something 
is  Genius — the  cause  of  Epigenesis. 

It  appears  in  all  kingdoms.  It  is  the  expression  of  the 
progressive  spirit  in  man,  animal  and  plant.  Chaos  is 
therefore  a  holy  name;  a  name  that  signifies  the  Cause  of 
all  we  see  in  Nature  and  inspires  a  feeling  of  devotion 
in  every  tried,  true  and  trained  occultist.  He  regards  the 
visible  sense  world  as  a  revelation  of  the  hidden  potentiali- 
ties of  the  Chaos. 

THE  BIRTH  OF  THE  PLANETS. 

To  express  himself  in  the  dense  physical  world,  it  was 
necessary  for  man  to  evolve  a  suitable  dense  body.  In  a 
world  like  this  he  must  have  a  body  with  limbs,  organs, 
and  a  muscular  system  by  means  of  which  to  move  about; 
also  a  brain  to  direct  and  co-ordinate  his  movements.  If 
the  conditions  had  been  different  the  body  would  have  been 
modified  accordingly. 

It  is  necessary  for  all  beings,  high  or  low  in  the  scale 
of  existence,  to  possess  vehicles  for  expression  in  any  par- 
ticular world  in  which  they  may  wish  to  manifest.  Even 
the  Seven  Spirits  before  The  Throne  must  possess  these 


THE  1,3 ,7&  10  ASPECTS  OF  GOD  &  MAN 


GENESIS  AND  EVOLUTION  OF  SOLAR  SYSTEM          253 

necessary  vehicles,  which  of  course  are  differently  condi- 
tioned for  each  of  Them.  Collectively,  They  are  God,  and 
make  up  the  Triune  Godhead,  and  He  manifests  in  a  dif- 
ferent way  through  each  of  Them. 

There  is  no  contradiction  in  ascribing  different  num- 
bers to  God.  We  do  not  sin  against  the  "oneness"  of  light 
because  we  distinguish  three  primary  colors  into  which  it 
divides  itself.  The  white  light  of  the  Sun  contains  the 
seven  colors  of  the  spectrum.  The  occultist  sees  even 
twelve  colors,  there  being  five  between  red  and  violet — 
going  one  way  around  the  circle — in  addition  to  the  red, 
orange,  yellow,  green,  etc.,  of  the  visible  spectrum.  Four 
of  these  colors  are  quite  indescribable,  but  the  fifth — the 
middle  one  of  the  five — is  similar  to  the  tint  of  a  new- 
blown  peach-blossom.  It  is  in  fact  the  color  of  the  vital 
body.  Trained  clairvoyants  who  describe  it  as  "bluish- 
grey,"  or  "reddish-grey,"  etc.,  are  trying  to  describe  a 
color  that  has  no  equivalent  in  the  physical  world;  and 
they  are  therefore  compelled  to  use  the  nearest  descriptive 
terms  afforded  by  our  language. 

Perhaps  Color  will  enable  us  to  realize  the  oneness  of 
God  with  the  Seven  Spirits  before  The  Throne  better  than 
anything  else.  We  will  therefore  turn  to  diagram  11. 

We  see  here  a  white  triangle  looming  up  from  a  dark 
background.  White  is  synthetic,  containing  all  colors 
within  itself,  as  God  contains  within  Himself  all  things 
in  the  Solar  System. 

Within  the  white  triangle  are  a  blue,  a  red  and  a  yellow 
circle.  All  other  colors  are  simply  combinations  of  these 
three  primary  colors.  These  circles  correspond  to  the 
three  aspects  of  God,  which  are  without  beginning,  and 
end  in  God,  though  externalized  only  during  active  mani- 
festation. 


TABLE   OF  VIBKATIONS 


WHOSE  EFFECTS  ARE  RECOGNIZED  AND  STUDIED  BY  SCIENCE. 

Number  of  Vibrations 
per  second. 

1st  Octave 2 

2d  4 

3d  8 

4th  161 

5th  32 

6th  64  | 

7th 128  ^c 

8th  256  f 

9th  512 

10th  1,024 

15th  32.768J 

20th  1,047,576    Unknown. 

25th  33,554.432  ) 

30th  1,073,741,824  >  Electricity. 

35th  34,359,738,368  ) 

40th  1.099,511,627.776  ( 

45th  35,184,372,088,832  f 

46th  70,368,744,177,644 

47th  140,737,468,355,328  >•  Heat. 

48th  281,474,979,710,656  I 

49th  562,949,953,421,312    Light. 

50th  1,125,899,906,842,624    Chemical  Rays. 

51st  2,251,799,813,685,248  I  TTnknown 

57th  144,115,188,075,855,872  /  unKnown- 

58th  288,230,376,151,711,744"! 

59th       '       576,460,752,303,423,488  I 

60th       '       1,152,921,504,606,846,976  f  X-Rays. 

61st        '       2,305,843,009,213,693,952J 

«2d         '       4,611,686,618,427,389,904    Unknown. 


GENESIS  AND  EVOLUTION  OF  SOLAR  SYSTEM          355 

When  these  three  colors  are  interblended,  as  shown  in 
the  diagram,  there  appear  four  additional  colors,  the  three 
secondary  colors — each  due  to  the  blending  of  two  primary 
colors — and  one  color  (indigo)  which  contains  the  entire 
gamut  of  colors,  making  in  all  the  seven  colors  of  the 
spectrum.  These  colors  represent  the  Seven  Spirits  before 
The  Throne.  The  colors  are  different,  as  are  also  the 
Seven  Spirits,  each  having  a  different  mission  in  the  King- 
dom of  God — our  Solar  System. 

The  seven  planets  circling  around  the  Sun  are  the  dense 
bodies  of  the  Seven  Planetary  Genii.  Their  names  are: 
Uranus  with  one  satellite,  Saturn  with  eight  moons, 
Jupiter  with  four  moons,  Mars  with  two  moons,  the  Earth 
and  its  moon,  Venus  and  Mercury. 

Bodies  are  always  found  to  suit  the  purpose  they  are 
made  to  serve,  hence  the  dense  bodies  of  the  Seven  Plan- 
etary Spirits  are  spherical,  that  form  being  best  adapted 
the  enormous  velocity  with  which  they  travel  through 
space.  The  Earth,  for  instance,  travels  about  66,000  miles 
per  hour  in  its  orbit. 

Man's  body  had  a  different  shape  in  the  past  from  that 
of  the  present,  and  from  that  which  it  will  have  in  the 
future.  During  involution  it  was  approximately  spherical, 
as  it  still  is  during  ante-natal  life,  because  the  intra- 
uterine  development  is  a  recapitulation  of  past  stages  of 
evolution.  At  that  stage  the  organism  developed  the 
sphere,  because  during  involution  man's  energies  were  di- 
rected inward,  upon  the  building  of  his  own  vehicles,  as 
the  embryo  develops  within  the  sphere  of  the  uterus. 

Man's  dense  and  vital  bodies  have  straightened,  but  his 
higher  vehicles  still  retain  their  ovoid  form.  In  the  dense 
body,  the  co-ordinating  and  governing  brain  is  situated  at 


256  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

one  extremity.  This  is  the  most  unfavorable  position 
for  such  an  orgen.  Too  long  a  time  is  required  for  im- 
pulses to  travel  from  one  extremity  to  the  other — from  the 
brain  to  the  feet,  or  for  impacts  on  the  feet  to  reach 
the  brain.  In  cases  of  burns,  for  instance,  science  ha& 
demonstrated  that  valuable  time  is  lost,  the  skin  being 
blistered  before  a  message  can  be  carried  from  the  injured 
place  to  the  brain  and  back  again. 

This  inefficiency  would  be  greatly  lessened  if  the  brain 
were  in  the  center  of  the  body.  Sensations  and  the  re- 
sponses thereto  could  be  more  quickly  received  a^d  trans- 
mitted. In  the  spherical  planets  the  Planetary  Spirit  di- 
rects from  the  center  the  movements  of  its  vehicle.  In 
future  man  will  bend  over,  as  shown  in  digram  12.  He 
will  become  a  sphere,  directing  his  energies  outward,  be- 
cause a  spherical  form  affords  the  greatest  facility  for 
motion  in  all  directions,  and  indeed,  for  combination  of 
simultaneous  motions. 

The  Rosicrucian  Cosmo-Conception  teaches  that  there 
is  a  further  evolution  in  store  for  planets. 

When  the  beings  upon  a  planet  have  evolved  to  a  suffi- 
cient degree,  the  planet  becomes  a  Sun — the  fixed  center 
of  a  Solar  System.  When  the  beings  upon  it  have  evolved 
to  a  still  greater  degree,  and  consequently  it  has  reached 
its  maximum  of  brilliancy,  it  breaks  up  into  a  Zodiac, 
becoming,  so  to  speak,  the  womb  for  a  new  Solar  System. 

Thus  the  great  hosts  of  Divine  Beings  who,  until  then, 
were  confined  within  that  Sun,  gain  freedom  of  action 
upon  a  great  number  of  stars,  whence  they  can  affect  in 
different  ways  the  system  which  grows  up  within  their 
sphere  of  influence.  The  planets,  or  man-bearing  worlds, 
within  the  Zodiac  are  constantly  being  worked  upon  by 


258  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

these  forces,  but  in  various  ways,  according  to  the  stage 
they  have  reached  in  evolution. 

Our  Sun  could  not  become  a  Sun  until  it  had  sent  out 
from  itself  all  the  beings  who  were  not  sufficiently  evolved 
to  endure  the  high  rate  of  vibration  and  the  great  lumi- 
nosity of  the  beings  who  were  qualified  for  that  evolution. 
All  the  beings  upon  the  different  planets  would  have  been 
consumed  had  they  remained  in  the  Sun. 

This  visible  Sun,  however,  though  it  is  the  place  of 
evolution  for  Beings  vastly  above  man,  is  not  by  any 
means  the  Father  of  the  other  planets,  as  material  science 
supposes.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  itself  an  emanation  from 
the  Central  Sun,  which  is  the  invisible  source  of  all  that 
is  in  our  Solar  System.  Our  visible  Sun  is  but  the 
mirror  in  which  are  reflected  the  rays  of  energy  from  the 
Spiritual  Sun.  The  real  Sun  is  as  invisible  as  the  real 
Man. 

Uranus  was  the  first  planet  to  be  thrown  off  from  the 
nebula  when  its  differentiation  began  in  Chaos,  at  the 
dawn  of  the  Earth  Period.  There  was  no  light  but  the 
dim  light  of  the  Zodiac.  The  life  that  left  with  Uranus 
is  of  a  rather  backward  strain  and  is  said  to  evolve  very, 
very  slowly. 

Saturn  was  next  differentiated.  It  is  the  field  of  action 
for  the  life  which  is  at  the  stage  of  evolution  correspond- 
ing to  the  Saturn  Period.  This  planet  was  differentiated 
before  the  ignition  of  the  nebula  and  (like  all  nebulae 
when  passing  through  their  Saturn  Period  of  evolution) 
was  not  a  source  of  light,  but  a  reflector. 

Jupiter  was  differentiated  shortly  afterwards,  when  the 
nebula  had  become  ignited.  The  heat  of  Jupiter  is  not  so 
great  as  that  of  the  Sun,  Venus  or  Mercury,  but  on  account 
of  its  immense  bulk,  it  is  capable  of  retaining  its  heat  and 


GENESIS  AND  EVOLUTION  OF  SOLAE  SYSTEM          359 

thus  remains  a  suitable  field  of  evolution  for  very  ad- 
vanced beings.  It  corresponds  to  the  stage  which  will  be 
reached  by  the  Earth  itself  in  the  Jupiter  Period. 

Mars  is  a  mystery,  and  only  a  limited  amount  of  in- 
formation may  be  given  out  We  may  say,  however,  that 
the  life  on  Mars  is  of  a  very  backward  nature  and  that  the 
so-called  "canals"  are  not  excavations  in  the  surface  of 
the  planet.  They  are  currents  such  as.  during  the  Atlan- 
tean  Epoch,  spread  over  our  planet,  and  the  remains  of 
which  can  still  be  observed  in  the  Aurora  Borealis  and  the 
Aurora  Australis.  The  shifting  of  the  Martian  "canals," 
noted  by  astronomers,  is  thus  accounted  for.  If  they  were 
really  canals,  they  could  not  possibly  shift,  but  currents 
emanating  from  the  Poles  of  Mars  may  do  so. 

The  Earth,  including  the  Moon,  was  next  set  out  from 
the  Sun,  and  later  Venus  and  Mercury.  These  and  Mars 
will  be  referred  to  later,  in  connection  with  the  evolution 
of  man  on  the  earth,  and  need  not  be  further  considered  at 
this  time. 

When  a  planet  has  Moons  it  indicates  that  there  are 
some  beings  in  the  life  wave  evolving  on  that  planet  who 
are  too  backward  to  share  in  the  evolution  of  the  main 
life  wave,  and  they  have  therefore  been  set  out  from  the 
planet  to  prevent  them  from  hindering  the  progress  of 
the  pioneers.  Such  is  the  case  with  the  beings  inhabiting 
our  Moon.  In  the  case  of  Jupiter  it  is  thought  probable 
that  the  inhabitants  of  three  of  its  four  moons  will  even- 
tually be  able  to  rejoin  the  life  on  the  parent  planet,  but 
it  is  regarded  as  certain  that  the  fourth  Moon  is  an  eighth 
sphere,  like  our  own  Moon,  where  retrogression  and  dis- 
integration of  the  already  acquired  vehicle  will  result  from 
too  close  adherence  to  material  existence  upon  the  part 


260  ROS1CRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

of  the  evolving  beings  who  have  brought  themselves  to  that 
deplorable  end. 

Neptune  and  its  satellites  do  not  properly  belong  to 
our  Solar  System.  The  other  planets — or  rather  their 
Spirits — exercise  an  influence  over  the  whole  of  humanity, 
but  the  influence  of  Neptune  is  restricted  to  one  particular 
class — the  astrologers.  The  writer,  for  instance,  has  sev- 
eral times  felt  its  compelling  influence  in  a  marked  way. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH. 

The  Polarian  Epoch. 

WHILE  the  material  which  now  forms  the  Earth 
was  yet  a  part  of  the  Sun,  it  was,  of  course,  in  a 
fiery  condition;  but  as  the  fire  does  not  burn 
spirit,  our  human  evolution  commenced  at  once,  being 
confined  particularly  to  the  Polar  Region  of  the  Sun. 

The  highest  evolved  beings  which  were  to  become 
human  were  the  first  to  appear.  The  substances  which 
now  form  the  Earth  were  all  molten,  and  the  atmosphere 
was  gaseous,  yet  man  recapitulated  his  mineral  stage  anew. 

From  that  attenuated  chemical  substance  of  the  sun  man 
himself  built  his  first  mineral  body,  assisted  by  the  Lords 
of  Form.  If  this  statement  is  objected  to  on  the  ground 
that  man  could  not  build  unconsciously,  the  case  of  the 
mother  can  be  cited  in  answer.  Is  she  conscious  of  build- 
ing the  body  of  the  babe  in  her  womb?  yet  surely  no  one 
will  say  that  she  has  nothing  to  do  with  it!  The  only 
difference  is  that  the  mother  builds  unconsciously  for  the 
babe;  and  man  built  unconsciously  for  himself. 

Man's  first  dense  body  did  not  even  remotely  resemble 
his  present  splendidly  organized  vehicle.  That  has  been 
evolved  only  in  the  course  of  myriads  of  years.  The  first 
dense  body  was  a  large,  baggy  object  with  an  opening  at 
the  top,  from  which  an  organ  projected.  This  was  a  kind 

261 


262  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

of  organ  of  orientation  and  direction.  In  the  course  of 
time  the  dense  body  drew  more  closely  together  and  con- 
densed. If  it  came  too  close  to  places  of  greater  heat  than 
it  could  endure,  it  disintegrated.  In  time  the  organ  grew 
sensitive  to  the  condition  that  threatened  destruction  and 
the  dense  body  automatically  moved  to  a  safer  place. 

This  organ  has  now  degenerated  into  what  is  called  the 
pineal  gland.  Sometimes  it  is  called  "the  third  eye/'  but 
that  is  a  misnomer,  because  it  never  was  an  eye,  but  rather 
the  localized  organ  for  the  sensing  of  heat  and  cold,  which 
faculty  is  now  distributed  over  the  entire  dense  body. 
During  the  Polarian  Epoch  this  sense  was  thus  localized, 
as  the  sense  of  sight  is  now  in  the  eye,  and  that  of  hearing 
in  the  ear.  The  extension  of  the  sense  of  feeling  since  that 
time  indicates  the  manner  in  which  the  entire  body  will 
be  improved,  so  that  at  some  future  time  any  part  of  it 
will  be  able  to  perceive  all  things.  The  senses  of  sight  and 
hearing  will  be  extended  over  the  entire  body,  as  the  sense 
of  feeling  is  now.  Then  man  will  be  all  eyes  and  ears. 
Specialized  sense  organs  indicate  limitation.  Sense  per- 
ception by  the  whole  is  comparative  perfection. 

At  the  early  stage  of  which  we  are  now  speaking  there 
was  a  kind  of  propagation.  These  immense  baggy  crea- 
tures divided  in  halves  in  a  manner  similar  to  the  division 
of  cells  by  fission,  but  the  separated  portions  would  not 
grow,  each  remaining  only  half  as  large  as  the  original 
form. 

THE  HYPERBOREAN  EPOCH. 

At  different  points  on  the  fiery  globe  there  began  in 
the  course  of  time  the  formation  of  crust-islands  in  a  sea 
of  fire. 

The  Lords  of  Form  appeared,  with  the  Angels  (human- 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  263 

ity  of  the  Moon  Period),  and  clothed  man's  dense  form 
with  a  vital  body.  Those  baggy  bodies  then  began  to  in- 
crease in  size  by  drawing  to  themselves  material  from  the 
outside  by  osmosis,  as  it  were.  When  they  propagated,  it 
was  no  longer  by  dividing  into  halves,  but  into  two  un- 
equal parts.  Both  parts  grew  until  each  had  attained  the 
original  size  of  the  parent. 

As  the  Polarian  Epoch  was  really  a  recapitulation  of 
the  Saturn  Period,  it  may  be  said  that  during  that  time 
man  passed  through  the  mineral  state;  he  had  the  same 
vehicle — the  dense  body — and  a  consciousness  similar  to 
the  trance  state.  For  analogous  reasons,  the  plant  state 
was  passed  through  in  the  Hyperborean  Epoch,  as  man 
had  a  dense  and  a  vital  body  and  a  dreamless-sleep-con- 
sciousness. 

Man  began  his  evolution  on  the  Earth  after  Mars  had 
been  thrown  off  from  the  central  mass,  and  that  which  is 
now  the  Earth  was  yet  undetached  from  the  Sun;  but  at 
the  close  of  the  Hyperborean  Epoch  the  incrustation  had 
progressed  so  far  that  it  had  become  an  obstacle  to  the 
progress  of  some  of  the  higher  evolved  beings  in  the  Sun. 
The  fiery  condition  also  hindered  the  evolution  of  some  of 
the  lower  grades  of  creatures,  such  as  man,  who  at  that 
stage  required  a  denser  world  for  his  further  development. 
Therefore,  the  part  which  is  now  the  Earth  was  thrown 
off  from  the  Sun  at  the  end  of  the  Hyperborean  Epoch, 
and  commenced  to  revolve  around  the  parent  body  in  a 
somewhat  different  orbit  than  at  present.  Shortly  after- 
wards Venus  and  Mercury  were  thrown  off  for  similar 
reasons. 

Crystallization  always  commences  at  the  pole  of  a  planet 
where  motion  is  slow.  The  consolidated  part  gradually 
works  outwards  towards  the  equator  in  obedience  to  the 


264  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

centrifugal  force.  If  that  force  is  stronger  than  the  co- 
hesive tendency  the  consolidated  mass  is  thrown  outwards 
into  space. 

At  the  time  when  the  Earth-globe  was  separated  from 
the  parent  mass,  it  included  that  part  which  is  now  our 
Moon.  On  this  great  globe  was  evolving  the  life-wave  now 
passing  through  the  human  kingdom,  also  the  life  waves 
which  entered  evolution  in  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Earth 
Periods,  and  are  now  evolving  through  the  animal,  plant 
and  mineral  kingdoms. 

Mention  has  been  made  of  the  stragglers  of  various 
Periods  who  in  later  Periods  were  enabled  to  take  a  step 
upward  in  evolution.  There  were  some,  however,  who  did 
not  take  this  step.  They  did  not  evolve,  and  were  there- 
fore left  further  and  further  behind,  until  they  became  a 
drag  and  a  hindrance  to  the  progressive  ones.  It  became 
necessary  to  get  thehm  out  of  the  way,  that  the  evolution 
of  the  others  might  not  be  retarded. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch,  these  "fail- 
ures" (note  that  they  were  failures,  not  merely  stragglers) 
had  crystallized  that  part  of  the  Earth  occupied  by  them 
to  such  a  degree  that  it  became  as  a  huge  cinder  or  clinker, 
in  the  otherwise  soft  and  fiery  Earth.  They  were  a  hin- 
drance and  an  obstruction,  so  they,  with  the  part  of  the 
Earth  they  had  crystallized,  were  thrown  out  into  space 
beyond  recall.  That  is  the  genesis  of  the  Moon. 

THE  MOON — THE  EIGHTH  SPHERE. 

The  seven  Globes,  A  to  G,  inclusive,  are  the  field  of 
Evolution.  The  Moon  is  the  field  of  Disintegration. 

If  Earth  had  not  segregated  from  the  original  Globe 
which  is  now  the  Sun,  the  rapidity  of  the  vibrations  would 
have  disintegrated  man's  vehicles.  He  would  have  grown 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  265 

so  rapidly  that  the  growth  of  the  mushroom  would  seem 
slow  in  comparison.  He  would  have  become  old  before 
he  had  time  to  pass  through  youth.  That  such  is  the  effect 
of  too  much  Sun  is  shown  by  the  rapidity  of  growth  at  the 
tropics,  where  maturity  and  old  age  are  reached  much 
sooner  than  in  the  north.  On  the  other  hand  had  the 
Moon  remained  with  the  Earth,  man  would  have  crystal- 
lized into  a  statue.  The  separation  of  the  Earth  from  the 
Sun,  which  now  sends  its  rays  from  a  far  distance,  enables 
man  to  live  at  the  proper  rate  of  vibration,  to  unfold 
slowly.  The  Moon-forces  reach  him  from  the  exact  dis- 
tance necessary  to  enable  him  to  build  a  body  of  the  proper 
density.  But  although  the  latter  forces  are  active  in  the 
building  of  the  form,  they  also  cause  death  when  their 
continued  work  finally  crystallizes  the  tissues  of  the  body. 
The  Sun  works  in  the  vital  body  and  is  the  force  which 
makes  for  life,  and  wars  against  the  death-dealing  Moon 
force. 

THE  LEMURIAN  EPOCH. 

In  this  Epoch  appeared  the  Archangels  (the  humanity 
of  Sun  Period),  and  the  Lords  of  Mind  (the  humanity  of 
Saturn  Period).  These  Hierarchies  were  assisted  by  the 
Lords  of  Form,  who  were  given  charge  of  the  Earth 
Period.  They  helped  man  to  build  his  desire  body,  and 
the  Lords  of  Mind  gave  the  germ  of  Mind  to  the  greater 
part  of  the  pioneers  who  formed  class  1,  according  to  the 
classification  in  diagram  10. 

The  Lords  of  Form  vivified  the  Human  spirit  in  as 
many  of  the  stragglers  of  the  Moon  Period  as  had  made 
the  necessary  progress  in  the  three  and  one-half  Eevolu- 
tions  which  had  elapsed  since  the  commencement  of  the 
Earth  Period,  but  at  that  time  the  Lords  of  Mind  could 


266  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

not  give  them  the  germ  of  Mind.  Thus  a  great  part  of 
nascent  humanity  was  left  without  this  link  between  the 
threefold  spirit  and  the  threefold  body. 

The  Lords  of  Mind  took  charge  of  the  higher  part  of  the 
desire  body  and  of  the  germinal  mind,  impregnating  them 
with  the  quality  of  separate  selfhood,  without  which  no 
separate,  self-contained  beings  such  as  we  are  today  would 
be  possible. 

We  owe  to  the  Lords  of  Mind  the  separate  personality, 
with  all  the  possibilities  for  experience  and  growth  thus 
afforded.  And  this  point  marks  the  birth  of  the  Indi- 
vidual. 

BIRTH  OF  THE  INDIVIDUAL. 

Diagram  1  will  make  clear  the  fact  that  the  personality 
is  the  reflected  picture  of  the  Spirit,  the  mind  being  the 
mirror,  or  focus. 

As  when  reflected  in  a  pond,  the  images  of  trees  appear 
inverted,  the  foliage  seeming  to  be  the  deepest  down  in 
the  water,  so  the  highest  aspect  of  the  spirit  (the  Divine 
Spirit)  finds  its  counterpart  in  the  lowest  of  the  three 
bodies  (the  dense  body).  The  next  highest  spirit  (the 
life  spirit)  is  reflected  in  the  next  lowest  body  (the  vital 
body).  The  third  spirit  (the  human  spirit)  and  its  re- 
flection, the  third  body  (the  desire  body),  appear  closest 
of  all  to  the  reflecting  mirror,  which  is  the  mind,  the  lat- 
ter corresponding  to  the  surface  of  the  pond — the  reflect- 
ing medium  in  our  analogy. 

The  Spirit  came  down  from  the  higher  Worlds  during 
involution;  and  by  concurrent  action,  the  Bodies  were 
built  upward  in  the  same  period.  It  is  the  meeting  of 
these  two  streams  in  the  focussing  Mind  that  marks  the 
point  in  time  when  the  individual,  the  human  being,  the 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  267 

Ego,   is  born — when  the   Spirit  takes  possession   of   its 
vehicles. 

Yet  we  must  not  suppose  that  this  at  once  raised  man 
to  his  present  status  in  evolution,  making  him  the  self- 
conscious,  thinking  being  he  is  today.  Before  that  point 
could  be  reached  a  long  and  weary  road  had  to  be  trav- 
eled, for  at  the  time  we  are  considering,  organs  were  in 
their  most  rudimentary  stage  and  there  was  no  brain  that 
could  be  used  as  an  instrument  of  expression.  Hence  the 
consciousness  was  the  dimmest  imaginable.  In  short,  the 
man  of  that  day  was  very  far  from  being  as  intelligent  as 
our  present-day  animals.  The  first  step  in  the  direction 
of  improvement  was  the  building  of  a  brain  to  use  as  an 
instrument  of  mind  in  the  Physical  World.  That  was 
achieved  by  separating  humanity  into  sexes. 

SEPARATION  OF  THE  SEXES. 

Contrary  to  the  generally  accepted  idea,  the  Ego  is  bi- 
sexual. Were  the  Ego  sexless,  the  body  would  necessarily 
be  sexless  also,  for  the  body  is  but  the  external  symbol  of 
the  indwelling  spirit. 

The  sex  of  the  Ego  does  not,  of  course,  express  itself  as 
such  in  the  inner  worlds.  It  manifests  there  as  two  dis- 
tinct qualities — Will  and  Imagination.  The  Will  is  the 
male  power  and  is  allied  to  the  Sun  forces;  Imagination 
is  the  female  power  and  is  always  linked  to  the  Moon 
forces.  This  accounts  for  the  imaginative  trend  of  woman 
and  for  the  special  power  which  the  Moon  exercises  over 
the  female  organism. 

When  the  matter  of  which  the  Earth  and  the  Moon  were 
afterwards  formed  was  still  a  part  of  the  Sun,  the  body 
of  man-in-the-making  was  yet  plastic,  and  the  forces  from 
that  part  which  afterwards  became  Sun,  and  that  part 


268  EOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

which  is  now  Moon  worked  readily  in  all  bodies,  so  that 
the  man  of  the  Hyperborean  Epoch  was  hei  maphrodite — 
capable  of  producing  another  being  from  himself  without 
intercourse  with  any  other. 

When  the  Earth  separated  from  the  Sun  and  shortly 
afterwards  threw  off  the  Moon,  the  forces  from  the  two 
luminaries  did  not  find  equal  expression  in  all,  as  formerly. 
Some  bodies  became  more  amenable  to  the  forces  from  one, 
and  some  to  those  from  the  other. 

INFLUENCE  OF  MARS. 

In  the  part  of  the  Earth  Period  preceding  the  separation 
of  the  sexes — during  the  three  and  one-half  Revolutions 
which  intervened  between  the  time  when  Mars  was  differ- 
entiated and  the  beginning  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch — 
Mars  traveled  in  a  different  orbit  from  the  present,  and  its 
aura  (that  part  of  its  finer  vehicles  which  extends  beyond 
the  dense  planet)  permeated  the  body  of  the  central  planet 
and  polarized  the  iron  within  it. 

As  iron  is  essential  to  the  production  of  warm,  red 
blood,  all  creatures  were  cold-blooded,  or  rather,  the  fluid 
parts  of  the  body  were  no  warmer  than  the  surrounding 
atmosphere. 

When  the  Earth  was  set  free  from  the  Central  Sun,  that 
event  changed  the  orbits  of  the  planets  and  thus  the  influ- 
ence of  Mars  over  the  iron  in  the  Earth  was  minimized. 
The  Planetary  Spirit  of  Mars  finally  withdrew  the  re- 
mainder of  that  influence,  and  although  the  desire  bodies 
of  the  Earth  and  Mars  still  penetrate,  the  dynamic  power 
of  Mars  over  the  iron  (which  is  a  Mars  metal)  has  ceased 
and  iron  has  become  available  for  use  on  our  planet. 

Iron  is  in  reality  the  basis  of  separate  existence.  With- 
out iron  the  red,  heat-giving  blood  would  be  an  impossi- 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  269 

bility,  and  the  Ego  could  have  no  hold  in  the  body.  When 
red  blood  developed — in  the  latter  part  of  the  Lemurian 
Epoch — the  body  became  upright  and  the  time  had  come 
when  the  Ego  could  begin  to  dwell  within  the  body  and 
control  it. 

But  to  dwell  within  is  not  the  end  and  aim  of  evolu- 
tion. It  is  simply  a  means  by  which  the  Ego  may  better 
express  itself  through  its  instrument,  that  it  may  manifest 
in  the  Physical  World.  To  that  end  the  sense  organs,  the 
larynx,  and  above  all,  a  brain,  must  be  built  and  perfected. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  Hyperborean  Epoch,  while 
the  Earth  was  still  united  with  the  Sun,  the  solar  forces 
supplied  man  with  all  the  sustenance  he  needed  and  he 
unconsciously  radiated  the  surplus  for  the  purpose  of 
propagation. 

When  the  Ego  entered  into  possession  of  its  vehicles  it 
became  necessary  to  use  part  of  this  force  for  the  building 
of  the  brain  and  the  larynx,  which  was  originally  a  part 
of  the  creative  organ.  The  larynx  was  built  while  the 
dense  body  was  yet  bent  together  in  the  bag-like  shape 
already  described,  which  is  still  the  form  of  the  human 
embryo.  As  the  dense  body  straightened  and  became  up- 
right, part  of  the  creative  organ  remained  with  the  upper 
part  of  the  dense  body  and  later  became  the  larynx. 

Thus  the  dual  creative  force  which  had  hitherto  worked 
in  only  one  direction,  for  the  purpose  of  creating  another 
being,  became  divided.  One  part  was  directed  upward  to 
build  the  brain  and  larynx,  by  means  of  which  the  Ego 
was  to  become  capable  of  thinking  and  communicating 
thoughts  to  other  beings. 

As  a  result  of  this  change  only  one  part  of  the  force 
essential  in  the  creation  of  another  being  was  available 
to  one  individual,  hence  it  became  necessary  for  each  indi- 


270  KOS1CBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

vidual  to  seek  the  co-operation  of  another,  who  possessed 
that  part  of  the  procreative  force  which  the  seeker  lacked. 
Thus  did  the  evolving  entity  obtain  brain  consciousness 
of  the  outside  world  at  the  cost  of  half  its  creative  power. 
Previous  to  that  time,  it  used  within  itself  both  parts  of 
that  power  to  externalize  another  being.  As  a  result  of 
that  modification,  however,  it  has  evolved  the  power  to 
create  and  express  thought.  Before  then,  it  was  a  creator 
in  the  physical  world  only;  since  then  it  has  become  able 
to  create  in  the  three  worlds. 

THE  RACES  AND  THEIR  LEADERS. 

Before  considering  in  detail  the  evolution  of  the  Le- 
murians  it  may  be  well  to  take  a  general  survey  of  the 
Races  and  their  Leaders. 

Some  very  valuable  works  on  Occultism,  bringing  before 
the  public  the  teachings  of  the  Eastern  Wisdom,  have 
nevertheless  contained  certain  mistakes,  owing  to  a  mis- 
understanding of  the  teachings  by  those  who  were  so  for- 
tunate as  to  receive  them.  All  books,  not  written  directly 
by  the  Elder  Brothers,  are  liable  to  contain  such  errors. 
Considering  the  extreme  intricacy  and  many  complica- 
tions of  the  subject,  the  wonder  is  not  that  mistakes  do 
occur,  but  that  they  are  not  more  frequent.  Therefore  the 
writer  does  not  presume  to  criticise,  recognizing  that  more 
numerous  and  more  serious  mistakes  may  be  embodied  in 
the  present  work,  owing  to  his  own  misconception  of  the 
teaching.  He  simply  sets  forth  in  the  next  few  paragraphs 
what  he  has  received,  which  shows  how  the  differing  (and 
seemingly  contradictory)  teaching  of  two  such  valuable 
works  as  "The  Secret  Doctrine"  by  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  and 
"Esoteric  Buddhism,"  by  A.  P.  Sinnett,  may  be  reconciled. 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  271 

That  part  of  human  evolution  which  is  to  be  accom- 
plished during  the  present  sojourn  of  the  life  wave  on  our 
Earth  is  divisible  into  seven  great  stages  or  Epochs;  but 
these  cannot  appropriately  be  called  Races.  Nothing  to 
which  that  name  could  be  correctly  applied  appears,  until 
the  end  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch.  From  that  time  different 
Eaces  succeed  one  another  through  the  Atlantean  and 
Aryan  Epochs,  and  will  extend  slightly  into  the  Sixth 
great  Epoch. 

The  toal  number  of  Races — past,  present  and  future — 
in  our  scheme  of  evolution  is  sixteen;  one  at  the  end  of 
the  Lemurian  Epoch,  seven  during  the  Atlantean  Epoch, 
seven  more  in  our  present  Aryan  Epoch  and  one  in  the 
beginning  of  the  Sixth  Epoch.  After  that  time  there  will 
be  nothing  that  can  properly  be  called  a  Race. 

Races  did  not  exist  in  the  Periods  which  have  preceded 
the  Earth  Period  and  they  will  not  exist  in  those  Periods 
which  follow  it.  It  is  only  here,  at  the  very  nadir  of  ma- 
terial existence,  that  the  difference  is  so  great  between  man 
and  man  as  to  warrant  the  separation  into  Races. 

The  immediate  Leaders  of  humanity  (apart  from  the 
creative  Hierarchies)  who  helped  man  to  take  the  first 
tottering  steps  in  Evolution,  after  Involution  had  fur- 
nished him  with  vehicles,  were  Beings  much  further  ad- 
vanced than  man  along  the  path  of  evolution.  They  came 
on  this  errand  of  love  from  the  two  planets  which  are 
located  between  the  Earth  and  the  Sun — Venus  and  Mer- 
cury. 

The  Beings  who  inhabit  Venus  and  Mercury  are  not 
quite  so  far  advanced  as  those  whose  present  field  of  evo- 
lution is  the  Sun,  but  they  are  very  much  further  ad- 
vanced than  our  humanity.  Therefore  they  stayed  some- 
what longer  with  the  central  mass  than  did  the  inhabitants 


272  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

of  the  Earth,  but  at  a  certain  point  their  evolution  de- 
manded separate  fields,  so  those  two  planets  were  thrown 
off,  Venus  first,  and  then  Mercury.  Each  was  given  such 
proximity  to  the  central  orb  as  insured  the  rate  of  vibra- 
tion necessary  for  its  evolution.  The  inhabitants  of  Mer- 
cury are  the  furthest  advanced,  hence  are  closer  to  the  Sun. 

Some  of  the  inhabitants  of  each  planet  were  sent  to  'the 
Earth  to  help  nascent  humanity  and  are  known  to  occult 
scientists  as  the  "Lords  of  Venus"  and  the  "Lords  of  Mer- 
cury." 

The  Lords  of  Venus  were  leaders  of  the  masses  of  our 
people.  They  were  inferior  beings  of  the  Venus  evolution, 
who  appeared  among  men  and  were  known  as  "messen- 
gers of  the  Gods."  For  the  good  of  our  humanity  they 
led  and  guided  it,  step  by  step.  There  was  no  rebellion 
against  their  authority,  because  man  had  not  yet  evolved 
an  independent  will.  It  was  to  bring  him  to  the  stage 
where  he  would  be  able  to  manifest  will  and  judgment 
that  they  guided  him,  until  he  should  be  able  to  guide 
himself. 

It  was  known  that  these  messengers  communed  with  the 
Gods  They  were  held  in  deep  reverence  and  their  com- 
mands were  obeyed  without  question. 

When  under  the  tuition  of  these  Beings  mankind  had 
reached  a  certain  stage  of  progress,  the  most  advanced 
were  placed  under  the  guidance  of  the  Lords  of  Mercury, 
who  initiated  them  into  the  higher  truths  for  the  purpose 
of  making  them  leaders  of  the  people.  These  Initiates 
were  then  exalted  to  kingship  and  were  the  founders  of  the 
dynasties  of  Divine  Eulers  who  were  indeed  kings  "by  the 
grace  of  God,"  i.  e.,  by  the  grace  of  the  Lords  of  Venus 
and  Mercury,  who  were  as  Gods  to  infant  humanity.  They 
guided  and  instructed  the  kings  for  the  good  of  the  peo- 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  273 

pie  and  not  for  self-aggrandizement    and    arrogation  of 
rights  at  their  expense. 

At  that  time  a  Killer  held  a  sacred  trust  to  educate  and 
help  his  people;  to  alleviate  and  promote  equity  and  well- 
being.  He  had  the  light  of  God  to  give  him  wisdom  and 
guide  his  judgment.  Hence,  while  those  kings  reigned, 
all  things  prospered,  and  it  was  indeed  a  Golden  Age.  Yet, 
as  we  follow  the  evolution  of  man  in  detail,  we  shall  see 
that  the  present  phase  or  period  of  development,  though  it 
cannot  be  called  a  golden  age  in  any  but  a  material  sense, 
is  nevertheless  a  necessary  one,  in  order  to  bring  man  to 
the  point  where  he  will  be  able  to  rule  himself,  for  self- 
mastery  is  the  end  and  aim  of  all  rulership.  No  man  can 
safely  remain  ungoverned  who  has  not  learned  to- govern 
himself,  and  at  the  present  stage  of  development,  that  is 
the  hardest  task  that  can  be  given  him.  It  is  easy  to  com- 
mand others;  it  is  hard  to  force  obedience  from  oneself. 

INFLUENCE  OF  MERCURY. 

The  purpose  of  the  Lords  of  Mercury  at  that  time,  and 
of  all  Hierophants  of  Mysteries  since  then,  as  also  all 
the  occult  schools  of  our  day,  was  and  is  to  teach  the 
candidate  the  art  of  Self-Mastery.  In  the  measure  that  a 
man  has  mastered  himself,  and  in  that  measure  only,  is  he 
qualified  to  govern  others.  Were  the  present  rulers  of  the 
masses  able  to  govern  themselves  we  should  again  have  the 
Millenium  or  Golden  Age. 

As  the  Lords  of  Venus  worked  on  the  masses  of  a  long- 
past  age,  so  do  the  Lords  of  Mercury  now  work  on  the 
Individual,  fitting  him  for  mastery  over  self  and  (inci- 
dentally only,  not  primarily)  for  mastery  over  others. 
This  work  on  their  part  is  but  the  beginning  of  what  will 


274  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

be  an  increasing  Mercurial  influence  during  the  remaining 
three  and  one-half  Revolutions  of  the  Earth  Period. 

During  the  first  three  and  one-half  Revolutions  Mars 
held  sway,  polarizing  the  iron,  preventing  the  formation 
of  the  red  blood  and  keeping  the  Ego  from  immuring  itself 
in  the  body  until  the  latter  had  attained  to  the  requisite 
degree  of  development. 

During  the  last  three  and  one-half  Revolutions  Mercury 
will  operate  to  extricate  the  Ego  from  its  densest  vehicle 
by  means  of  Initiation. 

Incidentally,  it  may  be  noted  that,  as  Mars  polarized  the 
iron,  so  Mercury  has  polarized  the  metal  bearing  its  name 
and  the  workings  of  that  metal  will  show  very  well  this 
tendency  to  take  the  dense  body  away  from  the  spirit — to 
liberate  the  latter  from  the  former. 

That  dread  disease,  syphilis,  is  an  example  of  condi- 
tions where  the  Ego  is  fettered  and  immured  in  the  body 
to  a  particularly  cramping  extent.  Sufficient  mercury 
relieves  the  condition,  lessens  the  hold  of  the  body  upon 
the  Ego  and  leaves  the  latter  to  that  comparative  freedom 
within  the  body  which  the  normal  person  enjoys.  But  on 
the  other  hand,  an  overdose  of  mercury  causes  paralysis, 
thus  taking  the  dense  body  from  the  man  in  an  improper 
way. 

The  Lords  of  Mercury  taught  man  to  leave  and  re-enter 
the  body  at  will;  to  function  in  his  higher  vehicles  inde- 
pendent of  the  dense  body,  so  that  the  latter  becomes  a 
cheerful  dwelling  house  instead  of  a  closely-locked  prison 
— a  useful  instrument  instead  of  a  clogging  fetter. 

Therefore  occult  science  speaks  of  the  Earth  Period  as 
Mars-Mercury,  and  so  it  may  be  said  truly  that  we  have 
been  in  Mars  and  are  going  to  Mercury,  as  taught  in  one 
of  the  occult  works  previously  mentioned.  It  is  also  true, 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  275 

however,  that  we  have  never  inhabited  the  planet  Mars, 
nor  are  we  to  leave  the  earth  at  some  future  time  to  take 
up  our  abode  on  the  planet  Mercury,  as  the  other  work 
mentioned  states,  with  the  intention  of  correcting  an  error 
in  the  first  one. 

Mercury,  now  being  in  obscuration,  is  exercising  very 
little  influence  on  us,  but  it  is  emerging  from  a  planetary 
rest  and  as  time  goes  on  its  influence  will  be  more  and 
more  in  evidence  as  a  factor  in  our  evolution.  The  coming 
Races  will  have  much  help  irom  the  Mercurians,  and  the 
people  of  still  later  Epochs  and  Revolutions  will  have  even 
more. 

THE  LEMURIAN  RACE. 

We  are  now  in  a  position  to  understand  the  information 
which  is  to  follow  concerning  the  people  who  lived  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch,  whom  we  may  call  the 
Lemurian  Race. 

The  atmosphere  of  Lemuria  was  still  very  dense — some- 
what like  the  fire-fog  of  the  Moon  Period,  but  denser. 
The  crust  of  the  Earth  was  just  starting  to  become  quite 
hard  and  solid  in  some  places,  while  in  others  it  was  still 
fiery,  and  between  islands  of  crust  was  a  sea  of  boiling, 
seething  water.  Volcanic  outbursts  and  cataclysms  marked 
this  time  when  the  nether  fires  fought  hard  against  the 
formation  of  the  encircling  wall  which  was  to  imprison 
them. 

Upon  the  harder  and  comparatively  cool  spots  man  lived 
surrounded  by  giant  fern-forests  and  animals  of  enormous 
size.  The  forms  of  both  man  and  animal  were  yet  quite 
plastic.  The  skeleton  had  formed,  but  man  himself  had 
great  power  in  molding  the  flesh  of  his  own  body  and 
that  of  the  animals  about  him. 


276  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

When  he  was  born  he  could  hear  and  feel,  but  his  per- 
ception of  light  came  later.  We  have  analogous  cases  in 
animals  like  cats  and  dogs,  the  young  of  which  receive 
the  sense  of  sight  some  time  after  birth.  The  Lemurian 
had  no  eyes.  He  had  two  sensitive  spots  which  were 
affected  by  the  light  of  the  Sun  as  it  shone  dimly  through 
the  fiery  atmosphere  of  ancient  Lemuria,  but  it  was  not 
until  nearly  the  close  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch  that  he  had 
sight  as  we  have  it  today.  Up  to  that  time  the  building  of 
the  eye  was  in  progress.  While  the  Sun  was  within — while 
the  Earth  formed  part  of  the  light-giving  mass — man 
needed  no  external  illuminant;  he  was  luminous  himself. 
But  when  the  dark  Earth  was  separated  from  the  Sun  it 
became  necessary  that  the  light  should  be  perceived,  there- 
fore as  the  light-rays  impinged  upon  man,  he  perceived 
them.  Nature  built  the  eye  as  a  light-perceiver,  in  re- 
sponse to  the  demand  of  the  already-existing  function, 
which  is  invariably  the  case,  as  Professor  Huxley  has  so 
ably  shown.  The  amceba  has  no  stomach,  yet  it  digests. 
It  is  all  stomach.  The  necessity  for  digesting  food  built 
the  stomach  in  the  course  of  time,  but  digestion  took  place 
before  the  alimentary  canal  was  formed.  In  an  analogous 
manner,  the  perception  of  light  called  forth  the  eye.  The 
light  itself  built  the  eye  and  maintains  it.  Where  there 
is  no  light  there  can  be  no  eye.  In  cases  where  animals 
have  withdrawn  and  dwelt  in  caves — keeping  away  from 
the  light — the  eyes  have  degenerated  and  atrophied  because 
there  were  no  light  rays  to  maintain  them  and  no  eyes 
were  needed  in  the  dark  caves.  The  Lemurian  needed 
eyes;  he  had  a  perception  of  light,  and  the  light  was  com- 
mencing to  build  the  eye  in  response  to  his  demand. 

His  language  consisted  of  sounds  like  those  of  Nature. 
The  sighing  of  the  wind  in  the  immense  forests  which 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  277 

grew  in  great  luxuriance  in  that  super-tropical  climate, 
the  rippling  of  the  brook,  the  howling  of  the  tempest — for 
Lemur ia  was  storm-swept — the  thunder  of  the  waterfall, 
the  roar  of  the  volcano — all  these  were  to  him  voices  of  the 
Gods  from  whom  he  knew  himself  to  have  descended. 

Of  the  birth  of  his  body  he  knew  nothing.  He  could 
not  see  either  it  or  anything  else,  but  he  did  perceive  his 
fellow-beings.  It  was,  however,  an  inner  perception,  like 
our  perception  of  persons  and  things  in  dreams,  but  with 
this  very  important  difference,  that  his  dream-perception 
was  clear  and  rational. 

Thus  he  knew  nothing  at  all  about  his  body,  in  fact  he 
did  not  even  know  he  had  a  body  any  more  than  we  know 
we  have  a  stomach  when  that  organ  is  in  good  health.  We 
remember  its  existence  only  when  our  abuse  of  it  causes 
us  to  feel  pain  there.  Under  normal  conditions  we  are 
entirely  unconscious  of  its  processes.  Similarly  did  the 
body  of  the  Lemurian  serve  him  excellently,  although  he 
was  unaware  of  its  existence.  Pain  was  the  means  of 
making  him  aware  of  his  body  and  of  the  world  without. 

Everything  in  connection  with  the  propagation  of  the 
race  and  the  bringing  to  birth  was  done  by  direction  of  the 
Angels  under  the  leadership  of  Jehovah,  the  Regent  of  the 
Moon.  The  propagative  function  was  performed  at  stated 
times  of  the  year  when  the  lines  of  force,  running  from 
planet  to  planet,  were  focussed  at  proper  angles.  Thus 
the  creative  force  encountered  no  obstruction  and  parturi- 
tion was  painless.  Man  was  unaware  of  birth,  because  at 
that  time  he  was  as  unconscious  of  the  physical  world  as 
he  now  is  during  sleep.  It  was  only  in  the  intimate  con- 
tact of  sex  relation  that  the  spirit  became  aware  of  the 
flesh  and  the  man  <(knew"  his  wife.  That  is  shown  in 
such  passages  of  the  Bible  as  "Adam  knew  Eve  and  she 


278  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

bore  Seth";  "Elkanah  Icnew  Hannah  and  she  bore  Sam- 
uel"; and  Mary's  question,  "How  shall  I  conceive,  seeing 
I  know  no  man?"  This  is  also  the  key  to  the  meaning 
of  the  "Tree  of  Knowledge,"  the  fruit  of  which  opened 
the  eyes  of  Adam  and  Eve,  so  that  they  came  to  know  both 
good  and  evil.  Previously  they  had  known  only  good, 
but  when  they  began  to  exercise  the  creative  function 
independently,  they  were  ignorant  of  stellar  influences, 
as  are  their  descendants,  and  Jehovah's  supposed  curse  was 
not  a  curse  at  all,  but  a  simple  statement  of  the  result 
which  must  inevitably  follow  use  of  the  generative  force 
which  failed  to  take  into  consideration  the  effect  of  the 
stellar  rays  on  childbirth. 

Thus  the  ignorant  use  of  the  generative  force  is  pri- 
marily responsible  for  pain,  sickness  and  sorrow. 

The  Lemurian  knew  no  death  because  when,  in  the 
course  of  long  ages,  his  body  dropped  away,  he  entered  an- 
other, quite  unconscious  of  the  change.  His  consciousness 
was  not  focussed  in  the  physical  world,  therefore  the  laying 
aside  of  one  body  and  the  taking  of  another  was  no  more 
to  him  than  a  leaf  or  twig  drying  and  falling  away  from 
the  tree  and  being  replaced  by  a  new  growth. 

Their  language  was  to  the  Lemurians  something  holy. 
It  was  not  a  dead  language  like  ours — a  mere  orderly  ar- 
rangement of  sounds.  Each  sound  uttered  by  the  Lemu- 
rian had  power  over  his  fellow-beings,  over  the  animals 
and  even  over  nature  around  him.  Therefore,  under  the 
guidance  of  the  Lords  of  Venus,  who  were  the  messengers 
of  God — the  emissaries  of  the  creative  hierarchies — the 
power  of  speech  was  used  with  great  reverence,  as  some- 
thing most  holy. 

The  education  of  the  boys  differed  greatly  from  that  of 
the  girls.  The  Lemurian  methods  of  education  seem 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  279 

shocking  to  our  more  refined  sensibilities.  In  order  to 
spare  the  reader's  feelings,  only  the  least  cruel  of  them  will 
be  touched  upon.  Strenuous  in  the  extreme  as  they  may 
seem,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  Lemurian  body  was 
not  nearly  so  high-strung  as  are  the  human  bodies  of  the 
present  day;  also  that  it  was  only  by  the  very  harshest 
measures  that  the  exceedingly  dim  consciousness  could  be 
touched  at  all.  As  time  went  on  and  the  consciousness 
became  more  and  more  awakened,  such  extreme  measures 
as  those  used  then  became  unnecessary  and  have  passed 
away,  but  at  that  time  they  were  indispensable  to  arouse 
the  slumbering  forces  of  the  spirit  to  a  consciousness  of 
the  outside  world. 

The  education  of  the  boys  was  designed  especially  to  de- 
velop the  quality  of  Will.  They  were  made  to  fight  one 
another,  and  these  fights  were  extremely  brutal.  They 
were  impaled  upon  spits,  with  full  power  to  release  them- 
selves, but  by  exercising  the  will-power  they  were  to  re- 
main there  in  spite  of  the  pain.  They  learned  to  make 
their  muscles  tense,  and  to  carry  immense  burdens  by  the 
exercise  of  the  Will. 

The  education  of  the  girls  was  intended  to  promote  the 
development  of  the  imaginative  faculty.  They  also  were 
subjected  to  strenuous  and  severe  treatment.  They  were 
put  out  in  the  great  forests,  to  let  the  sound  of  the  wind 
in  the  tree-tops  speak  to  them  and  to  listen  to  the  furious 
outbursts  of  flood  and  tempest.  They  thus  learned  to 
have  no  fear  of  those  paroxysms  of  nature  and  to  perceive 
only  the  grandeur  of  the  warring  elements.  The  frequent 
volcanic  outbursts  were  greatly  valued  as  a  means  of  edu- 
cation, being  particularly  conducive  to  the  awakening  of 
the  faculty  of  memory. 

Such  educational  methods  would  be  entirely  out  of  the 


280  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

question  at  the  present  day,  but  they  did  not  make  the 
Lemurian  morbid,  because  he  had  no  memory.  No  matter 
what  painful  or  terrifying  experiences  he  endured,  every- 
thing was  forgotten  as  soon  as  past.  The  above-mentioned 
strenuous  experiences  were  for  the  purpose  of  developing 
memory,  to  imprint  these  violent  and  constantly-repeated 
impacts  from  without  upon  the  brain,  because  memory  is 
necessary  that  the  experiences  of  the  past  may  be  used  as 
guides  to  Action. 

The  education  of  the  girls  developed  the  first  germinal, 
nickering  memory.  The  first  idea  of  Good  and  Evil  was 
formulated  by  them  because  of  their  experiences,  which 
worked  chiefly  on  the  imagination.  Those  experiences 
most  likely  to  leave  a  recollection  were  thought  "Good;" 
those  which  did  not  produce  that  much-desired  result  were 
considered  "Evil." 

Thus  woman  became  the  pioneer  in  culture,  being  the 
first  to  develop  the  idea  of  "a  good  life,"  of  which  she  be- 
came the  esteemed  exponent  among  the  ancients  and  in 
that  respect  she  has  nobly  led  the  vanguard  ever  since. 
Of  course,  as  all  Egos  incarnate  alternately  as  male  and 
female,  there  is  really  no  pre-eminence.  It  is  simply  that 
those  who  for  the  time  being  are  in  a  dense  body  of  the 
feminine  gender  have  a  positive  vital  body,  and  are  there- 
fore more  responsive  to  spiritual  impacts  than  when  the 
vital  body  is  negative  as  in  the  male. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  Lemurian  was  a  born  magician. 
He  felt  himself  a  descendant  of  the  Gods,  a  spiritual  being; 
therefore  his  line  of  advancement  was  by  gaining  not  spir- 
itual, but  material  knowledge.  The  Temples  of  Initiation 
for  the  most  advanced  did  not  need  to  reveal  to  man  his 
high  origin;  to  educate  him  to  perform  feats  of  magic;  to 
instruct  him  how  to  function  in  the  desire  world  and  the 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  281 

higher  realms.  Such  instruction  is  necessary  today  be- 
cause now  the  average  man  has  no  knowledge  of  the  spir- 
itual world,  nor  can  he  function  in  superphysical  realms. 
The  Lemurian,  however,  in  his  own  way,  did  possess  that 
knowledge  and  could  exercise  those  faculties,  but  on  the 
other  hand,  he  was  ignorant  of  the  Laws  of  the  Cosmos  and 
of  facts  regarding  the  physical  world  which  are  matters  of 
common,  everyday  knowledge  with  us.  Therefore  at  the 
School  of  Initiation  he  was  taught  art,  the  laws  of  Nature 
and  facts  relating  to  the  physical  universe.  His  will  was 
strengthened  and  his  imagination  and  memory  wakened  so 
that  he  could  correlate  experiences  and  devise  ways  and 
means  of  action  when  his  past  experiences  did  not  serve 
to  indicate  a  proper  course  of  procedure.  Thus  the  Tem- 
ples of  Initiation  in  the  Lemurian  times  were  High 
Schools  for  the  cultivation  of  Will-power  and  Imagina- 
tion, with  "post-graduate  courses"  in  Art  and  Science. 

Yet,  though  the  Lemurian  was  a  born  magician,  he  never 
misused  his  powers  because  he  felt  himself  related  to  the 
Gods.  Under  the  direction  of  the  Messengers  of  the  Gods, 
already  spoken  of,  his  forces  were  directed  toward  the 
molding  of  forms  in  the  animal  and  the  plant  worlds.  It 
may  be  hard  for  the  materialist  to  understand  how  he 
could  do  such  work  if  he  could  not  see  the  world  about 
him.  It  is  true  man  could  not  "see"  as  we  understand  the 
term  and  as  he  now  sees  objects  outside  in  space  with  his 
physical  eyes.  Still,  as  the  purest  of  our  children  are 
clairvoyant  to  this  day  while  they  remain  in  a  state  of 
sinless  innocence,  so  the  Lemurians,  who  were  yet  pure 
and  innocent,  possessed  an  internal  perception  which  gave 
them  only  a  dim  idea  of  the  outward  shape  of  any  object, 
but  illumined  so  much  the  brighter  its  inner  nature,  i*s 


282  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

soul-quality,  by  a  spiritual  apperception  born  of  innocent 
purity. 

Innocence,  however,  is  not  synonymous  with  Virtue. 
Innocence  is  the  child  of  Ignorance  and  could  not  be  main- 
tained in  a  universe  where  the  purpose  of  evolution  is  the 
acquisition  of  Wisdom.  To  attain  that  end,  a  knowledge 
of  good  and  evil,  right  and  wrong,  is  essential,  also  choice 
of  action. 

If,  having  knowledge  and  choice,  man  ranges  himself  on 
the  side  of  Good  and  Right  he  cultivates  Virtue  and  Wis- 
dom. If  he  succumbs  to  temptation  and  does  wrong  know- 
ingly, he  fosters  vice. 

God's  plan  is  not  to  be  brought  to  naught,  however. 
Every  act  is  a  seed-ground  for  the  law  of  Consequence. 
We  reap  what  we  sow.  The  weeds  of  wrong  action  bear 
flowers  of  sorrow  and  suffering,  and  when  the  seeds  from 
them  have  fallen  into  a  chastened  heart,  when  they  have 
been  watered  by  the  tears  of  repentance  Virtue  will  event- 
ually blossom  forth.  What  blessed  assurance,  that  out  of 
every  evil  we  do,  Good  will  eventually  accrue,  for  in  our 
Father's  Kingdom  naught  but  Good  can  endure. 

Therefore  the  "Fall"  with  its  consequent  pain  and  suf- 
fering is  but  a  temporary  state  where  we  see  through  a 
glass  darkly,  but  anon  we  shall  behold  again  face  to  face 
the  God  within  and  without  who  is  ever  perceived  by  the 
pure  in  heart. 

THE  FALL  OF  MAN. 

This  is  cabalistically  described  as  the  experience  of  one 
pair  who,  of  course,  represent  humanity.  The  key  is 
given  in  the  verse  where  the  Messenger  of  the  Gods  says 
to  the  woman,  "in  sorrow  thou  shalt  bring  forth  children ;" 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  283 

the  clue  is  also  found  in  the  sentence  of  death  which  was 
pronounced  at  that  same  time. 

It  will  be  observed  that  previous  to  the  Fall  the  con- 
sciousness was  not  focussed  in  the  physical  world.  Man 
was  unconscious  of  propagation,  birth  and  death.  The  An- 
gels who  have  charge  of  and  work  in  the  vital  body  (the 
medium  of  propagation)  regulated  the  propagative  func- 
tion and  brought  the  sexes  together  at  certain  seasons  of 
the  year,  using  the  solar  and  the  lunar  forces  when  they 
produced  conditions  most  propitious  for  fecundation,  the 
union  being  achieved  unconsciously  to  the  participants  at 
first,  but  later  it  produced  a  momentary  physical  cognition. 
Then  the  period  of  gestation  caused  no  inconvenience  and 
parturition  was  painless,  the  parent  being  plunged  in  deep 
sleep.  Birth  and  death  involved  no  break  in  the  conscious- 
ness and  were  therefore  non-existent  to  the  Lemurians. 

Their  consciousness  was  directed  inward.  They  per- 
ceived physical  things  in  a  spiritual  way,  as  we  perceive 
them  in  a  dream — at  which  time  all  that  we  see  is  within 
ourselves. 

When  "their  eyes  were  opened"  and  their  consciousness 
was  directed  outward  toward  the  facts  of  the  physical 
world,  conditions  were  altered.  Propagation  was  directed, 
not  by  the  Angels,  but  by  man,  who  was  ignorant  of  the 
operation  of  the  Sun-  and  Moon-forces.  He  also  abused 
the  sex-function,  using  it  for  sense-gratification,  with  the 
result  that  pain  attended  the  process  of  child-bearing. 
Then  his  consciousness  became  focussed  in  the  physical 
world,  although  all  things  did  not  appear  to  his  vision  with 
clearly-defined  outlines  until  the  latter  part  of  the  Atlan- 
tean  Epoch.  Still  he  came  by  degrees  to  know  death  be- 
cause of  the  break  made  in  his  consciousness  when  it  was 


284  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

shifted  to  the  higher  worlds  at  death  and  back  to  the 
physical  world  at  rebirth. 

The  "opening  of  the  eyes"  was  brought  about  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner:  We  remember  that  when  the  sexes  sep- 
arated, the  male  became  an  expression  for  Will,  which  is 
one  part  of  the  twofold  soul-force;  the  female  expressing 
the  otiier  part,  Imagination.  If  woman  were  not  imagina- 
tive she  could  not  build  the  new  body  in  the  womb  and 
were  not  the  spermatozoon  an  embodiment  of  the  concen- 
trated human  will,  it  could  not  accomplish  impregnation 
and  so  commence  the  germination,  which  results  in  the 
continued  segmentation  of  the  ovum. 

These  twin-forces,  Will  and  Imagination,  are  both 
necessary  to  the  propagation  of  bodies.  Since  the  separa- 
tion of  the  sexes,  however,  one  of  these  forces  remains 
within  each  individual  and  only  the  part  given  out  is  avail- 
able for  propagation.  Hence  the  necessity  for  the  one- 
sexed  being  who  expresses  only  one  kind  of  soul-force,  to 
unite  with  another,  who  expresses  the  complementary  soul- 
force.  This  was  previously  explained;  also  that  the  part 
of  the  soul-force  not  used  for  propagation  becomes  avail- 
able for  inner  growth.  So  long  as  man  sent  out  the  full, 
dual  sex-force  for  generation,  he  could  accomplish  nothing 
in  the  direction  of  soul-growth  for  himself.  But  since 
then  the  part  not  used  through  the  sex-organ  has  been  ap- 
propriated by  the  indwelling  spirit  to  build  the  brain  and 
the  larynx  for  its  expression. 

Thus  man  built  on,  all  through  the  latter  part  of  the 
Lemurian  Epoch  and  the  first  two-thirds  of  the  Atlantean 
Epoch  until,  by  the  above-mentioned  use  of  this  half  of 
his  sex-force,  he  became  a  fully-conscious,  thinking,  rea- 
soning, being. 

In  man  the  brain  is  the  link  between  the  spirit  and  the 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  285 

outside  world.  He  can  know  nothing  of  the  outside  world 
except  through  the  medium  of  the  brain.  The  sense-organs 
are  merely  carriers  to  the  brain  of  impacts  from  without 
and  the  brain  is  the  instrument  which  interprets  and  co- 
ordinates those  impacts.  The  Angels  belonged  to  a  dif- 
ferent evolution  and  had  never  been  imprisoned  in  a  dense 
and  cumbrously  slow  vehicle  such  as  ours.  They  had 
learned  to  obtain  knowledge  without  a  physical  brain. 
Their  lowest  vehicle  is  the  vital  body.  Wisdom  came  to 
them  as  a  gift,  without  the  necessity  of  laboriously  think- 
ing it  out  through  a  physical  brain. 

Man,  however,  had  to  "fall  into  generation,"  and  work 
for  his  knowledge.  The  spirit,  by  means  of  one  part  of 
the  sex-force  directed  inward,  built  the  brain  to  gather 
knowledge  from  the  physical  world,  and  the  same  force  is 
feeding  and  building  the  brain  today.  It  is  subverted 
from  its  proper  course  inasmuch  as  it  should  have  gone 
outward  for  procreation,  but  man  retains  it  for  selfish  pur- 
poses. No  so  the  Angels.  They  had  experienced  no  di- 
vision of  their  soul-powers,  therefore  they  could  send  out 
the  dual  soul-force  without  selfish  reservation. 

The  force  that  goes  outward  for  the  purpose  of  creating 
another  being  is  Love.  The  Angels  sent  out  their  whole 
love,  without  selfishness  or  desire  and  in  return,  Cosmic 
Wisdom  flowed  into  them. 

Man  sends  out  only  part  of  his  love;  the  residue  he 
selfishly  keeps  and  uses  to  build  his  inner  organs  of  ex- 
pression, to  improve  himself;  thus  does  his  love  become 
selfish  and  sensual.  With  one  part  of  his  creative  soul- 
power  he  selfishly  loves  another  being  because  he  desires 
co-operation  in  propagation.  With  the  other  part  of  his 
creative  soul-power  he  thinks  (also  for  selfish  reasons) 
because  he  desires  knowledge. 


286  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

The  Angels  love  without  desire,  but  man  had  to  go 
through  selfishness.  He  must  desire  and  work  for  wisdom 
selfishly,  that  he  may  reach  selflessness  at  a  higher  stage. 

The  Angels  helped  him  to  propagate  even  after  the  sub- 
version of  part  of  the  soul-force.  They  helped  him  to 
build  the  physical  brain,  but  they  had  no  knowledge  that 
could  be  transmitted  by  means  of  it,  because  they  did  not 
know  how  to  use  such  an  instrument  and  could  not  speak 
directly  to  a  brain-being.  All  they  could  do  was  to  con- 
trol the  physical  expression  of  the  love  of  man  and  guide 
it  through  the  emotions  in  a  loving,  innocent  way,  thus 
saving  man  the  pain  and  trouble  incident  to  the  exercise 
of  the  sex-function  without  wisdom. 

Had  that  regime  lasted,  man  would  have  remained 
simply  a  God-guided  automaton  and  would  never  have 
become  a  personality — an  individual.  That  he  has  be- 
come so  is  due  to  a  much-maligned  class  of  entities  called 
the  Lucifer  Spirits. 

THE  LUCIFER  SPIRITS. 

These  spirits  were  a  class  of  stragglers  in  the  life  wave 
of  the  Angels.  In  the  Moon  Period  they  worked  them- 
selves far  ahead  of  the  great  mass  of  those  who  are  now 
the  most  advanced  of  our  humanity.  They  have  not  pro- 
gressed as  far  as  the  Angels  who  were  the  pioneer  human- 
ity of  the  Moon,  however,  but  they  were  so  much  in 
advance  of  our  persent  humanity  that  it  was  impossible  for 
them  to  take  a  dense  body  as  we  have  done ;  yet  they  could 
not  gain  knowledge  without  the  use  of  an  inner  organ, 
a  physical  brain.  They  were  half-way  between  man  who 
has  a  brain  and  the  Angels  who  need  none — in  short,  they 
were  demi-gods. 

They  were  thus  in  a  serious  situation.     The  only  way 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EAETH  287 

they  could  find  an  avenue  through  which  to  express  them- 
selves and  gain  knowledge  was  to  use  man's  physical  brain, 
as  they  could  make  themselves  understood  by  a  physical 
being  endowed  with  a  brain,  which  the  Angels  could  not. 

As  said,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch  man 
did  not  see  the  physical  world  as  we  do  now.  To  him  the 
desire  world  was  much  more  real.  He  had  the  dream- 
consciousness  of  the  Moon  Period — an  inner  picture-con- 
sciousness; he  was  unconscious  of  the  world  outside  him- 
self. The  Lucifers  had  no  difficulty  in  manifesting  to 
his  inner  consciousness  and  calling  his  attention  to  his  out- 
ward shape,  which  he  had  not  theretofore  perceived.  They 
told  him  how  he  could  cease  being  simply  the  servant  of 
external  powers,  and  could  become  his  own  master  and 
like  unto  the  gods,  "knowing  good  and  evil."  They  also 
made  clear  to  him  that  he  need  have  no  apprehension  if  his 
body  died,  inasmuch  as  he  had  within  himself  the  creative 
ability  to  form  new  bodies  without  the  mediation  of  the 
Angels.  All  of  which  information  was  given  with  the  one 
purpose  of  turning  his  consciousness  outward  for  the 
acquirement  of  knowledge. 

This  the  Lucifers  did  that  they  might  profit  by  it 
themselves — to  gain  knowledge  as  man  acquired  it.  They 
brought  to  him  pain  and  suffering  where  there  was  none 
before ;  but  they  also  brought  him  the  inestimable  blessing 
of  emancipation  from  outside  influence  and  guidance, 
thereby  starting  him  on  the  road  to  the  evolution  of  his 
own  spiritual  powers — an  evolution  which  will  eventually 
enable  him  to  upbuild  himself  with  wisdom  such  as  that 
of  the  Angels  and  other  Beings  Who  guided  him  before 
he  first  exercised  free  will. 

Before  man's  enlightenment  by  the  Lucifer  Spirits  he 
had  not  known  sickness,  pain  nor  death.  All  of  these 


288  KOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

resulted  from  the  unwise  use  of  the  propagative  faculty 
and  its  abuse  for  the  gratification  of  the  senses.  Animals 
in  their  wild  state  are  exempt  from  sickness  and  pain, 
because  their  propagation  is  carried  on  under  the  care  and 
direction  of  the  wise  group-spirit  at  only  those  times  of  the 
year  which  are  propitious  to  that  process.  The  sex-func- 
tion is  designed  solely  for  the  perpetuation  of  the  species 
and  under  no  circumstances  for  the  gratification  of  sensual 
desire. 

Had  man  remained  a  God-guided  automaton,  he  would 
have  known  no  sickness,  pain,  nor  death  unto  this  day; 
but  he  would  also  have  lacked  the  brain-consciousness  and" 
independence  which  resulted  from  his  enlightenment  by 
the  Lucifer  Spirits,  the  "light-givers,"  who  opened  the  eyes 
of  his  understanding  and  taught  him  to  use  his  then  dim 
vision  to  gain  knowledge  of  the  Physical  World  which  he 
was  destined  to  conquer. 

From  that  time  there  have  been  two  forces  working  in 
man.  One  force  is  that  of  the  Angels,  who  build  new 
beings  in  the  womb  by  means  of  the  Love  which  is  turned 
downward  for  procreation;  they  are  therefore  the  perpetu- 
ators  of  the  race. 

The  other  force  is  that  of  the  Lucifers,  who  are  the 
instigators  of  all  mental  activity,  by  means  of  the  other 
part  of  the  sex-force,  which  is  carried  upward  for  work 
in  the  brain. 

The  Lucifers  are  also  called  "serpents"  and  are  vari- 
ously represented  in  different  mythologies.  More  will  be 
said  about  them  when  we  come  to  the  anaylsis  of  Genesis. 
For  the  present  enough  has  been  said  to  warrant  us  in 
pursuing  the  main  line  of  investigation,  which  leads  us  to 
follow  the  progress  of  man's  evolution  still  further,  through 
the  Atlantean  and  Aryan  Epochs,  down  to  the  present  day. 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  289 

What  has  been  said  about  the  enlightenment  of  the 
Lemurians  applies  to  only  a  minor  portion  of  those  who 
lived  in  the  latter  part  of  that  Epoch,  and  who  became 
the  Seed  for  the  Seven  Atlantean  Eaces.  The  greater 
part  of  the  Lemurians  were  animal-like  and  the  forms 
inhabited  by  them  have  degenerated  into  the  savages  and 
anthropoids  of  the  present  day. 

The  student  is  requested  to  note  carefully  that  it  was 
the  Forms  which  degenerated.  There  is  a  very  important 
distinction  to  be  kept  in  mind  between  the  bodies  (or 
forms)  of  a  race,  and  the  Egos  (or  life)  which  incarnates 
in  those  race-bodies. 

When  a  race  is  born,  the  forms  are  ensouled  by  a  certain 
group  of  spirits  and  have  inherent  capability  of  evolving 
to  a  certain  stage  of  completion  and  no  further.  There 
can  be  no  standing  still  in  nature,  therefore  when  the  limit 
of  attainment  has  been  reached,  the  bodies  or  forms  of  that 
race  begin  to  degenerate,  sinking  lower  and  lower  until  at 
last  the  race  dies  out. 

The  reason  is  not  far  to  seek.  New  race-bodies  are 
particularly  flexible  and  plastic,  affording  great  scope  for 
the  Egos  who  incarnate  in  them  to  improve  those  vehicles 
and  progress  thereby.  The  most  advanced  Egos  are 
brought  to  birth  in  such  bodies  and  improve  them  to  the 
best  of  their  ability.  These  Egos,  however,  are  only 
apprentices  as  yet,  and  they  cause  the  bodies  to  gradually 
crystallize  and  harden  until  the  limit  of  improvement  of 
that  particular  kind  of  body  has  been  reached.  Then 
forms  for  another  new  race  are  created,  to  afford  the 
advancing  Egos  further  scope  for  more  extended  experience 
and  greater  development.  They  discard  the  old  race- 
bodies  for  the  new,  their  discarded  bodies  becoming  the 
habitations  for  less  advanced  Egos  who,  in  their  turn, 


290  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

use  them  as  stepping-stones  on  the  path  of  progress.  Thus 
the  old  race-bodies  are  used  by  Egos  of  increasing  inferior- 
ity, gradually  degenerating  until  at  last  there  are  no  Egos 
low  enough  to  profit  by  incarnation  in  such  bodies.  The 
women  then  become  sterile  and  the  race-forms  die. 

We  may  easily  trace  this  process  by  certain  examples. 
The  Teutonic-Anglo-Saxon  race  (particularly  the  Ameri- 
can branch  of  it)  has  a  softer  and  more  flexible  body  and 
a  more  high-strung  nervous  system  than  any  other  race  on 
earth  at  the  present  time.  The  Indian  and  the  Negro 
have  much  harder  bodies  and,  because  of  the  duller  ner- 
vous system,  are  much  less  sensitive  to  lacerations.  An 
Indian  will  continue  to  fight  after  receiving  wounds  the 
shock  of  which  would  prostrate  or  kill  a  white  man, 
whereas  the  Indian  will  quickly  recover.  The  Australian 
aborigines  or  Bushmen  furnish  an  example  of  a  race  dying 
out  on  account  of  sterility,  notwithstanding  all  that  the 
British  government  is  doing  to  perpetuate  them. 

It  has  been  said  by  white  men  against  the  white  race, 
that  wherever  it  goes  the  other  races  die  out.  The  whites 
have  been  guilty  of  fearful  oppression  towards  those  other 
races,  having  in  many  cases  massacred  multitudes  of  the 
defenseless  and  unsuspecting  natives — as  witness  the  con- 
duct of  the  Spaniards  towards  the  ancient  Peruvians  and 
Mexicans,  to  specify  but  one  of  many  instances.  The 
obligations  resulting  from  such  betrayal  of  confidence  and 
abuse  of  superior  intelligence  and  power  will  all  have  to 
be  paid — yea,  to  the  last,  least  iota ! — by  those  incurring 
them.  It  is  equally  true,  however,  that  even  had  the 
whites  not  massacred,  starved,  enslaved,  expatriated  and 
otherwise  maltreated  those  older  races,  the  latter  would 
nevertheless  had  died  out  just  as  surely,  though  more 
slowly,  because  such  is  the  Law  of  Evolution — the  Order 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  39 J 

of  Nature.  At  some  future  time  the  white  race-bodies, 
when  they  become  inhabited  by  the  Egos  who  are  now  em- 
bodied in  red,  black,  yellow  or  brown  skins,  will  have 
degenerated  so  far  that  they  also  will  disappear,  to  give 
place  to  other  and  better  vehicles. 

Science  speaks  only  of  evolution.  It  fails  to  consider 
the  lines  of  Degeneration  which  are  slowly  but  surely 
destroying  such  bodies  as  have  crystallized  beyond  possi- 
bility of  improvement. 

THE  ATLANTEAN  EPOCH. 

Volcanic  cataclysms  destroyed  the  greater  part  of  the 
Lemurian  continent  and  in  its  stead  rose  the  Atlantean 
continent,  where  the  Atlantic  Ocean  now  is. 

Material  scientists,  impelled  by  the  story  of  Plato  to 
undertake  researches  regarding  Atlantis,  have  demon- 
strated that  there  is  ample  foundation  for  the  story  that 
such  a  continent  did  exist.  Occult  scientists  know  that  it 
existed  and  they  also  know  that  the  conditions  there  were 
such  as  shall  now  be  described. 

Ancient  Atlantis  differed  from  our  present  world  in 
many  ways,  but  the  greatest  difference  was  in  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  atmosphere  and  the  water  of  that  Epoch. 

From  the  southern  part  of  the  planet  came  the  hot, 
fiery  breath  of  the  volcanoes  which  were  still  abundantly 
active.  From  the  north  swept  down  the  icy  blasts  of  the 
Polar  region.  The  continent  of  Atlantis  was  the  meeting- 
place  of  those  two  currents,  consequently  its  atmosphere 
was  always  filled  with  a  thick  and  murky  fog.  The  water 
was  not  so  dense  as  now,  but  contained  a  greater  propor- 
tion of  air.  Much  water  was  also  held  in  suspension  in 
the  heavy,  foggy  Atlantean  atmosphere. 

Through  this  atmosphere  the  Sun  never  clearly  shone. 


292  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

It  appeared  to  be  surrounded  by  an  aura  of  light-mist,  as 
do  street-lamps  when  seen  through  a  dense  fog.  It  was 
then  possible  to  see  only  a  few  feet  in  any  direction  and 
the  outlines  of  all  objects  not  close  at  hand  appeared 
dim,  hazy  and  uncertain.  Man  was  guided  more  by 
internal  perception  than  by  external  vision. 

Not  only  the  country,  but  also  the  man  of  that  time 
was  very  different  from  anything  existent  on  earth  at  the 
present  time.  He  had  a  head,  but  scarcely  any  forehead; 
his  brain  had  no  frontal  development;  the  head  sloped 
almost  abruptly  back  from  a  point  just  above  the  eyes. 
As  compared  with  our  present  humanity,  he  was  a  giant; 
his  arms  and  legs  were  much  longer,  in  proportion  to  his 
body,  than  ours.  Instead  of  walking,  he  progressed  by  a 
series  of  flying  leaps,  not  unlike  those  of  the  kangaroo. 
He  had  small  blinking  eyes  and  his  hair  was  round  in 
section.  The  latter  peculiarity,  if  no  other,  distinguishes 
the  descendants  of  the  Atlantean  races  who  remain  with 
us  at  the  present  day.  Their  hair  was  straight,  glossy, 
black  and  round  in  section.  That  of  the  Aryan,  though 
it  may  differ  in  color,  is  always  oval  in  section.  The  ears 
of  the  Atlantean  sat  much  further  back  upon  the  head 
than  do  those  of  the  Aryan. 

The  higher  vehicles  of  the  early  Atlanteans  were  not 
drawn  into  a  concentric  position  in  relation  to  the  dense 
body,  as  are  ours.  The  spirit  was  not  quite  an  indwelling 
spirit;  it  was  partially  outside,  therefore  could  not  con- 
trol its  vehicles  with  as  great  facility  as  though  it  dwelt 
entirely  inside.  The  head  of  the  vital  body  was  outside  of 
and  held  a  position  far  above  the  physical  head.  There 
is  a  point  between  the  eyebrows  and  about  half  an  inch 
below  the  surface  of  the  skin,  which  has  a  corresponding 
point  in  the  vital  body.  This  point  is  not  the  pituitary 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  293 

body,  which  lies  much  deeper  in  the  head  of  the  dense 
body.  It  might  be  called  "the  root  of  the  nose."  When 
these  two  points  in  the  dense  and  the  vital  bodies  come  into 
correspondence,  as  they  do  in  man  today,  the  trained  clair- 
voyant sees  them  as  a  black  spot,  or  rather  as  a  vacant 
space,  like  the  invisible  core  of  a  gas  flame.  This  is  the 
seat  of  the  indwelling  spirit  in  the  man — the  Holy  of  Holies 
in  the  temple  of  the  human  body,  barred  to  all  but  that 
indwelling  human  Ego  whose  home  it  is.  The  trained 
clairvoyant  can  see  with  more  or  less  distinctness,  accord- 
ing to  his  capacity  and  training,  all  the  different  bodies 
which  form  the  aura  of  man.  This  spot  alone  is  hidden 
from  him.  This  is  the  "Isis"  whose  veil  none  may  lift. 
Not  even  the  highest  evolved  being  on  earth  is  capable  of 
unveiling  the  Ego  of  the  humblest  and  least  developed 
creature.  That,  and  that  alone  upon  earth,  is  so  sacred  that 
it  is  absolutely  safe  from  intrusion. 

These  two  points  just  spoken  of — the  one  in  the  dense 
body  and  its  counterpart  in  the  vital  body — were  far  apart 
in  the  men  of  the  early  Atlantean  days,  as  they  are  in 
the  animals  of  our  day.  The  head  of  the  horse's  vital 
body  is  far  outside  the  head  of  its  dense  body.  The  two 
points  are  closer  together  in  the  dog  than  in  any  other 
animal  except,  perhaps,  the  elephant.  When  they  come  into 
correspondence  we  have  an  animal  prodigy,  able  to  count, 
spell,  etc. 

On  account  of  the  distance  between  these  two  points, 
the  Atlantean's  power  of  perception  or  vision  was  much 
keener  in  the  inner  Worlds  than  in  the  dense  Physical 
World,  obscured  by  its  atmosphere  of  thick,  heavy  fog. 
In  the  fullness  of  time,  however,  the  atmosphere  slowly 
became  clearer;  at  the  same  time,  the  point  spoken  of  in 
the  vital  body  came  closer  and  closer  to  the  corresponding 


294  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

point  in  the  dense  body.  As  the  two  approached  each 
other,  man  gradually  lost  touch  with  the  inner  Worlds. 
They  became  dimmer  as  the  dense  Physical  World  became 
clearer  in  outline.  Finally,  in  the  last  third  of  the  At- 
lantean  Epoch,  the  point  in  the  vital  body  was  united  to 
the  corresponding  point  in  the  dense  body.  Not  until  then 
did  man  become  fully  awake  in  the  dense  Physical  World ; 
but  at  the  same  time  that  full  sight  and  perception  in  the 
Physical  World  were  gained,  the  capability  of  perceiving 
the  inner  Worlds  was  gradually  lost  to  most  of  the  people. 

In  an  earlier  time  the  Atlantean  did  not  clearly  per- 
ceive the  outline  of  an  object  or  a  person,  but  he  saw  the 
soul  and  at  once  knew  its  attributes,  whether  they  were 
beneficial  to  him  or  otherwise.  He  knew  whether  the  man 
or  animal  he  was  regarding  was  kindly  or  inimically  dis- 
posed toward  him.  He  was  accurately  taught  by  spiritual 
perception  how  to  deal  with  others  and  how  to  escape 
harm,  therefore  when  the  Spiritual  World  gradually  faded 
from  his  consciousness,,  great  was  his  sorrow  at  the  loss. 

The  Rmoahals  were  the  first  of  the  Atlantean  Eaces. 
They  had  but  little  memory  and  that  little  was  chiefly  con- 
nected with  sensation.  They  remembered  colors  and  tones, 
and  thus  to  some  extent  they  evolved  Feeling.  The 
Lemurian  had  entirely  lacked  Feeling,  in  the  finer  sig- 
nification of  the  word.  He  had  the  sense  of  touch,  could 
feel  the  physical  sensations  of  pain,  ease  and  comfort,  but 
not  the  mental  and  spiritual  ones  of  joy,  sorrow,  sympathy 
and  antipathy. 

With  memory  came  to  the  Atlanteans  the  rudiments  of 
a  language.  They  evolved  words  and  no  longer  made  use 
of  mere  sounds,  as  did  the  Lemurians.  The  Rmoahals 
began  to  give  names  to  things.  They  were  yet  a  spiritual 
race  and,  their  soul-powers  being  like  the  forces  of  nature, 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  295 

they  not  only  named  the  objects  around  them,  but  in  their 
words  was  power  over  the  things  they  named.  Like  the 
last  of  the  Lemurians,  their  Feelings  as  spirits  inspired 
them,  and  no  harm  was  ever  done  to  one  another.  To 
them  the  language  was  holy,  as  the  highest  direct  expres- 
sion of  the  spirit.  The  power  was  never  abused  or  de- 
graded by  gossip  or  small  talk.  By  the  use  of  definite 
language  the  soul  in  this  race  first  became  able  to  contact 
the  soul  of  things  in  the  outside  world. 

The  Tlavatlis  were  the  second  Atlantean  Eace.  Already 
they  began  to  feel  their  worth  as  separate  human  beings. 
They  became  ambitious;  they  demanded  that  their  works 
be  remembered.  Memory  became  a  factor  in  the  life  of 
the  community.  The  remembrance  of  the  deeds  done  by 
certain  ones  would  cause  a  group  of  people  to  choose  as 
their  leader  one  who  had  done  great  deeds.  This  was  the 
germ  of  Eoyalty. 

This  remembrance  of  the  meritorious  deeds  of  great 
men  was  carried  even  beyond  the  time  when  such  leaders 
died.  Mankind  began  to  honor  the  memory  of  ancestors 
and  to  worship  them  and  others  who  had  shown  great 
merit.  That  was  the  beginning  of  a  form  of  worship 
wliic-Ii  i?  practiced  to  this  day  by  some  Asiatics. 

The  Toltecs  were  the  third  Atlantean  Eace.  They  car- 
ried still  further  the  ideas  of  their  predecessors,  inaugurat- 
ing Monarchy  and  Hereditary  Succession.  The  Toltecs 
originated  the  custom  of  honoring  men  for  the  deeds  done 
by  their  ancestors,  but  there  was  then  a  very  good  reason 
for  so  doing.  Because  of  the  peculiar  training  at  that 
time,  the  father  had  the  power  to  bestow  his  qualities  upon 
his  son  in  a  way  impossible  to  mankind  at  the  present  time. 

The  education  consisted  of  calling  up  before  the  soul  of 
the  child  pictures  of  the  different  phases  of  life.  The  con- 


296  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

sciousness  of  the  early  Atlantean  was,  as  jet,  principally 
an  internal  picture-consciousness.  The  power  of  the  edu- 
cator to  call  up  these  pictures  before  the  soul  of  the  child 
was  the  determining  factor  upon  which  depended  the  soul- 
qualities  that  would  be  possessed  by  the  grown  man.  The 
instinct  and  not  the  reason  was  appealed  to  and  aroused, 
and  by  this  method  of  education  the  son,  in  the  great  ma- 
jority of  cases,  readily  absorbed  the  qualities  of  the  father. 
It  is  thus  evident  that  there  was  at  that  time  good  reason 
for  bestowing  honor  upon  the  descendants  of  great  men, 
because  the  son  almost  always  inherited  most  of  his  father's 
good  qualities.  Unfortunately,  that  is  not  the  case  in  our 
time,  although  we  still  follow  the  same  practice  of  honor- 
ing the  sons  of  great  men ;  but  we  have  no  reason  whatever 
for  doing  so. 

Among  the  Toltecs,  experience  came  to  be  highly  valued. 
The  man  who  had  gained  the  most  varied  experience  was 
the  most  honored  and  sought.  Memory  was  then  so  great 
and  accurate  that  our  present  memory  is  nothing  in  com- 
parison. In  an  emergency,  a  Toltec  of  wide  practical  ex- 
perience would  be  very  likely  to  remember  similar  cases 
in  the  past,  and  suggest  what  action  should  be  taken.  Thus 
he  became  a  valuable  adviser  to  the  community  when  a 
situation  developed  which  none  of  the  members  had  pre- 
viously encountered  and  they  were  unable  to  think  or  rea- 
son from  analogy  as  to  how  to  deal  promptly  with  the 
emergency.  When  such  an  individual  was  not  available, 
they  were  compelled  to  experiment  in  order  to  find  what 
was  best  to  do. 

In  the  middle  third  of  Atlantis  we  find  the  beginning 
of  separate  nations.  Groups  of  people  who  discovered  in 
one  another  similar  tastes  and  habits  would  leave  their 
old  homes  and  found  a  new  colony.  They  remembered  the 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  297 

old  customs  and  followed  them  in  their  new  homes  as  far 
as  they  suited,  forming  new  ones  to  meet  their  own  par- 
ticular ideas  and  necessities. 

The  Leaders  of  mankind  initiated  great  Kings  at  that 
time  to  rule  the  people,  over  whom  they  were  given  great 
power.  The  masses  honored  these  kings  with  all  the  rever- 
ence due  to  those  who  were  thus  truly  Kings  "by  the  grace 
of  God."  This  happy  state,- however,  had  in  it  the  germ  of 
disintegration,  for  in  time  the  Kings  became  intoxicated 
with  power.  They  forgot  that  it  had  been  put  into  their 
hands  by  the  grace  of  God,  as  a  sacred  trust;  that  they 
were  made  Kings  for  the  purpose  of  dealing  justly  by  and 
helping  the  people.  They  began  to  use  their  power  cor- 
ruptly, for  selfish  ends  and  personal  aggrandizement  in- 
stead of  for  the  common  good,  arrogating  to  themselves 
privileges  and  authorities  never  intended  for  them.  Ambi- 
tion and  selfishness  ruled  them  and  they  abused  their  high, 
divinely  derived  powers,  for  purposes  of  oppression  and 
revenge.  This  was  true,  not  only  of  the  Kings,  but  also 
of  the  nobles  and  the  higher  classes,  and  when  one  con- 
siders the  power  possessed  by  them  over  their  fellow- 
beings  of  the  less  developed  classes,  it  is  easy  to  under- 
stand that  its  misuse  would  bring  about  terrible  conditions. 

The  Original  Turanians  were  the  fourth  Atlantean  Eace. 
They  were  especially  vile  in  their  abominable  selfishness. 
They  erected  temples  where  the  Kings  were  worshiped  as 
gods,  and  caused  the  extreme  oppression  of  the  helpless 
lower  classes.  Black  magic  of  the  worst  and  most  nauseat- 
ing kind  flourished  and  all  their  efforts  were  directed 
towards  the  gratification  of  vanity  and  external  display. 

The  Original  Semites  were  the  fifth  and  most  important 
of  the  seven  Atlantean  Eaces,  because  in  them  we  find  the 
first  germ  of  the  corrective  quality  of  Thought.  Therefore 


298  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  Original  Semitic  Race  became  the  "seed-race"  for  the 
seven  Races  of  the  present  Aryan  Epoch. 

In  the  Polarian  Epoch  man  acquired  the  dense  body  as 
an  instrument  of  action.  In  the  Hyperborean  Epoch  the 
vital  body  was  added  to  give  power  of  motion  necessary  to 
action.  In  the  Lemurian  Epoch  the  desire  body  furnished 
incentive  to  action. 

The  mind  was  given  to  man  in  the  Atlantean  Epoch  to 
give  purpose  to  action,  but  as  the  Ego  was  exceedingly 
weak  and  the  desire  nature  strong,  the  nascent  mind 
coalesced  with  the  desire  body;  the  faculty  of  Cunning  re- 
sulted and  was  the  cause  of  all  the  wickedness  of  the  mid- 
dle third  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch. 

In  the  Aryan  Epoch  Thought  and  Reason  were  to  be 
evolved  by  the  work  of  the  Ego  in  the  mind  to  conduct 
Desire  into  channels  leading  to  the  attainment  of  spiritual 
perfection,  which  is  the  Goal  of  Evolution.  This  faculty 
of  Thought  and  of  forming  Ideas  was  gained  by  man  at 
the  expense  of  loss  of  control  over  the  vital  forces — i.  e., 
power  over  Nature. 

With  Thought  and  Mind  man  can  at  present  exercise 
power  over  the  chemicals  and  minerals  only,  for  his  mind 
is  now  in  the  first  or  mineral  stage  of  its  evolution,  as  was 
his  dense  body  in  the  Saturn  Period.  He  can  exercise  no 
power  over  plant  or  animal  life.  Wood  and  various 
vegetable  substances,  together  with  different  parts  of  the 
animals,  are  used  by  man  in  his  industries.  These  sub- 
stances are  all  in  the  final  analysis  chemical  matter  en- 
souled by  mineral  life,  of  which  the  bodies  in  all  the  king- 
doms are  composed,  as  previously  explained.  Over  all  these 
varieties  of  chemical  mineral  combinations  man  at  his 
present  stage  may  have  dominion,  but  until  he  has  reached 
the  Jupiter  Period,  that  dominion  will  not  be  extended  so 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  299 

that  he  can  work  with  life.  In  that  Period,  however,  he 
will  have  the  power  to  work  with  plant  life  as  the  Angels 
do  at  present  in  the  Earth  Period. 

Material  scientists  have  labored  for  many  years  in  an 
endeavor  to  "create"  life,  but  they  will  not  succeed  until 
they  have  learned  that  they  must  approach  the  laboratory 
table  with  the  deepest  reverence,  as  they  would  draw  near 
to  the  altar  in  a  Temple — with  purity  of  heart  and  with 
holy  hands,  devoid  of  greed  and  selfish  ambition. 

Such  is  the  wise  decision  of  the  Elder  Brothers,  who 
guard  this  and  all  the  deep  secrets  of  Nature  until  man 
shall  be  fit  to  use  them  for  the  uplifting  of  the  race — for 
the  glory  of  God  and  not  for  personal  profit  or  self-ag- 
grandizement. 

It  was,  however,  this  very  loss  of  power  over  the  vital 
forces  which  the  Atlanteans  suffered  that  made  it  possible 
for  man  to  evolve  further.  After  that,  no  matter  how  great 
his  selfishness  became,  it  could  not  prove  absolutely  de- 
structive of  himself  and  of  Nature,  as  would  have  been  the 
case  had  the  growing  selfishness  been  accompanied  by  the 
great  power  possessed  by  man  in  his  innocent  former  state. 
Thought  that  works  only  in  man  is  powerless  to  command 
Nature  and  can  never  endanger  humanity,  as  would  be 
possible  were  Nature's  forces  under  man's  control. 

The  Original  Semites  regulated  their  desires  to  some 
extent  by  the  mind,  and  instead  of  mere  desire,  came  cun- 
ning and  craftiness — the  means  by  which  those  people 
sought  to  attain  their  selfish  ends.  Though  they  were  a 
very  turbulent  people,  they  learned  to  curb  their  passions 
to  a  great  extent  and  accomplish  their  purposes  by  the  use 
of  cunning,  as  being  more  subtle  and  potent  than  mere 
brute  strength.  They  were  the  first  to  discover  that 
"brain"  is  superior  to  "brawn." 


30U  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

During  the  existence  of  this  Race,  the  atmosphere  of 
Atlantis  commenced  to  clear  definitely,  and  the  previously- 
mentioned  point  in  the  vital  body  came  into  correspondence 
with  its  companion  point  in  the  dense  body.  The  combina- 
tion of  events  gave  man  the  ability  to  see  objects  clearly 
with  sharp,  well-defined  contours;  but  it  also  resulted  in 
loss  of  the  sight  pertaining  to  the  inner  Worlds. 

Thus  we  see,  and  it  may  be  well  to  definitely  state  it  as 
a  law :  No  progress  is  ever  made  that  is  not  gained  at  the 
cost  of  some  previously  possessed  faculty,  which  is  later 
regained  in  a  higher  form. 

Man  built  brain  at  the  expense  of  the  temporary  loss  of 
the  power  to  bring  forth  offspring  from  himself  alone.  In 
order  to  get  the  instrument  wherewith  to  guide  his  dense 
body,  he  became  subject  to  all  the  difficulty,  sorrow  and 
pain  which  is  involved  in  the  co-operation  necessary  to  the 
perpetuation  of  the  race;  he  obtained  his  reasoning  power 
at  the  cost  of  the  temporary  loss  of  his  spiritual  insight. 

While  reason  benefited  him  in  many  ways,  it  shut  from 
his  vision  the  soul  of  things  which  had  previously  spoken 
to  him,  and  the  gaining  of  the  intellect  which  is  now  man's 
most  precious  possession  was  at  first  but  sadly  contem- 
plated by  the  Atlantean,  who  mourned  the  loss  of  spiritual 
sight  and  power  which  marked  its  acquisition. 

The  exchange  of  spiritual  powers  for  physical  faculties 
was  necessary,  however,  in  order  that  man  might  be  able 
to  function,  independent  of  outside  guidance,  in  the  Phys- 
ical World  which  he  must  conquer.  In  time  his  higher 
powers  will  be  regained  when,  by  means  of  his  experiences 
in  his  journey  through  the  denser  Physical  World,  he  has 
learned  to  use  them  properly.  When  he  possessed  them, 
he  had  no  knowledge  of  their  proper  use,  and  they  were 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  301 

too  precious  and  too  dangerous  to  be  used  as  toys,  with 
which  to  experiment. 

Under  the  guidance  of  a  great  Entity,  the  Original 
Semitic  Eace  was  led  eastward  from  the  continent  of  At- 
lantis, over  Europe,  to  the  great  waste  in  Central  Asia 
which  is  known  as  the  Gobi  Desert.  There  it  prepared 
them  to  be  the  seed  of  the  seven  Races  of  the  Aryan  Epoch, 
imbuing  them  potentially  with  the  qualities  to  be  evolved 
by  their  descendants. 

During  all  the  previous  ages — from  the  commencement 
of  the  Saturn  Period,  through  the  Sun  and  Moon  Periods, 
and  in  the  three  and  one-half  Revolutions  of  the  Earth 
Period  (the  Polarian,  Hyperborean,  Lemurian,  and  earlier 
part  of  the  Atlantean  Epochs) — man  had  been  led  and 
guided  by  higher  Beings,  without  the  slightest  choice. 
In  those  days  he  was  unable  to  guide  himself,  not  yet  hav- 
ing evolved  a  mind  of  his  own;  but  at  last  the  time  had 
come  when  it  was  necessary  for  his  further  development 
that  he  should  begin  to  guide  himself.  He  must  learn 
independence  and  assume  responsibility  for  his  own  actions. 
Hitherto  he  had  been  compelled  to  obey  the  commands  of 
his  Ruler;  now  his  thoughts  were  to  be  turned  from  the 
visible  Leaders,  the  Lords  from  Venus,  whom  he  wor- 
shipped as  messengers  from  the  gods — to  the  idea  of  the 
true  God,  the  invisible  Creator  of  the  System.  Man  was 
to  learn  to  worship  and  obey  the  commands  of  a  God  he 
could  not  see. 

Their  Leader  therefore  called  the  people  together  and 
delivered  a  soul-stirring  oration,  which  might  be  thus  ex- 
pressed : 

Hitherto  you  have  seen  Those  who  led  you,  but  there  are 
Leaders  of  varying  grades  of  splendor,  higher  than  They, 


302  KOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Whom  you  have  not  seen,  Who  guided  your  every  tottering 
step  in  the  evolution  of  consciousness. 

Exalted  above  all  these  glorious  Beings  stands  the  invis- 
ible God  Who  has  created  the  heaven,  and  the  earth  upon 
which  you  dwell.  He  has  willed  to  give  you  dominion  over 
all  this  land,  that  you  may  be  fruitful  and  multiply  in  it. 

This  invisible  God  only,  must  you  worship,  but  you  must 
worship  Him  in  Spirit  and  in  Truth,  and  not  make  any 
graven  image  of  Him,  nor  use  any  likeness  to  picture  Him 
to  yourselves,  because  He  is  everywhere  present,  and  is 
beyond  any  comparison  or  similitude. 

If  you  follow  His  precepts,  He  will  bless  you  abundantly 
in  all  good.  If  you  stray  from  His  ways,  evil  will  follow. 
The  choice  is  yours.  You  are  free;  but  you  must  endure 
the  consequences  of  your  own  actions. 

The  education  of  man  proceeds  by  four  great  steps. 
First,  he  is  worked  upon  from  without,  unconsciously. 
Then  he  is  placed  under  the  Eulership  of  Divine  Messen- 
gers and  Kings  whom  he  sees,  and  whose  commands  he 
must  obey.  Next  he  is  taught  to  revere  the  commands  of 
a  God  whom  he  does  not  see.  Finally,  he  learns  to  rise 
above  commands;  to  become  a  law  unto  himself;  and,  by 
conquering  himself  of  his  own  free  will,  to  live  in  harmony 
with  the  Order  of  Nature,  which  is  the  Law  of  God. 

Fourfold  also  are  the  steps  by  which  man  climbs  up- 
ward to  God. 

First,  through  fear,  he  worships  the  God  whom  he  begins 
to  sense,  sacrificing  to  propitiate  Him,  as  do  the  fetish- 
worshipers. 

Next,  he  learns  to  look  to  God  as  the  Giver  of  all  things, 
and  hopes  to  receive  from  Him  material  benefits  here  and 
now.  He  sacrifices  through  avarice,  expecting  that  the 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  303 

Lord  will  repay  an  hundredfold,  or  to  escape  swift  punish- 
ment by  plague,  war,  etc. 

Next,  he  is  taught  to  worship  God  by  prayer  and  the  liv- 
ing of  a  good  life;  and  that  he  must  cultivate  faith  in  a 
Heaven  where  he  will  be  rewarded  in  the  future;  and  to 
abstain  from  evil  that  he  may  escape  a  future  punishment 
in  Hell. 

At  last  he  comes  to  a  point  where  he  can  do  right  with- 
out any  thought  of  reward,  bribe,  or  punishment,  but  sim- 
ply because  "it  is  right  to  do  right."  He  loves  right  for 
its  own  sake  and  seeks  to  govern  his  conduct  thereby,  re- 
gardless of  present  benefit  or  injury,  or  of  painful  results 
at  some  future  time. 

The  Original  Semites  had  reached  the  second  of  these 
steps.  They  were  taught  to  worship  an  invisible  God  and 
to  expect  to  be  rewarded  by  material  benefits,  or  punished 
by  painful  afflictions. 

Popular  Christianity  is  at  the  third  step.  Esoteric 
Christians,  and  the  pupils  of  all  occult  schools  are  trying 
to  reach  the  highest  step,  which  will  be  generally  achieved 
in  the  Sixth  Epoch,  the  New  Galilee,  when  the  unifying 
Christian  religion  will  open  the  hearts  of  men,  as  their 
understanding  is  being  opened  now. 

The  Akadians  were  the  sixth  and  the  Mongolians  the 
seventh  of  the  Atlantean  Eaces.  They  evolved  the  faculty 
of  thought  still  further,  but  followed  lines  of  reasoning 
which  deviated  more  and  more  from  the  main  trend  of  the 
developing  life.  The  Chinese  Mongolians  maintain  to  this 
day  that  the  old  ways  are  the  best.  Progress  constantly 
requires  new  methods  and  adaptability,  keeping  ideas  in 
a  fluid  state,  therefore  those  races  fell  behind  and  are  de- 
generating, with  the  remainder  of  the  Atlantean  Kaces. 

As  the  heavy  fogs  of  Atlantis  condensed  more  and  more, 


304  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  increased  quantity  of  water  gradually  inundated  that 
continent,  destroying  the  greater  part  of  the  population 
and  the  evidences  of  their  civilization. 

Great  numbers  were  driven  from  the  doomed  continent 
by  the  floods,  and  wandered  across  Europe.  The  Mon- 
golian races  are  the  descendants  of  those  Atlantean  refu- 
gees. The  Negroes  and  the  savage  races  with  curly  hair, 
are  the  last  remnants  of  the  Lemurians. 

THE  ARYAN  EPOCH. 

Central  Asia  was  the  cradle  of  the  Aryan  Races,  who 
descended  from  the  Original  Semites.  Thence  have  the 
different  Eaces  gone  out.  It  is  unnecessary  to  describe 
them  here,  as  historical  researches  have  sufficiently  re- 
vealed their  main  features. 

In  the  present  (the  Fifth  or  Aryan)  Epoch,  man  came 
to  know  the  use  of  fire  and  other  forces,  the  divine  origin 
of  which  was  purposely  withheld  from  him,  that  he  might 
be  free  to  use  them  for  higher  purposes  or  his  own  devel- 
opment. Therefore  we  have  in  this  present  Epoch  two 
classes:  One  looks  upon  this  Earth  and  upon  man  as  be- 
ing of  divine  origin ;  the  other  sees  all  things  from  a  purely 
utilitarian  viewpoint. 

The  most  advanced  among  humanity  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Aryan  Epoch  were  given  the  higher  Initiations,  that 
they  might  take  the  place  of  the  messengers  of  God,  i.  e., 
the  Lords  of  Venus.  Such  human  Initiates  were  from  this 
time  forth  the  only  mediators  between  God  and  man.  Even 
they  do  not  appear  publicly  nor  show  any  signs  and  won- 
ders that  they  were  Leaders  and  Teachers.  Man  was  left 
entirely  free  to  seek  them  or  not,  as  he  desired. 

At  the  end  of  our  present  Epoch  the  highest  Initiate 
will  appear  publicly,  when  a  sufficient  number  of  ordinary 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EAETH  305 

humanity  desire,  and  will  voluntarily  subject  themselves 
to  such  a  Leader.  They  will  thus  form  the  nucleus  for  the 
last  Race,  which  will  appear  at  the  beginning  of  the  Sixth 
Epoch.  After  that  time  races  and  nations  will  cease  to 
exist.  Humanity  will  form  one  spiritual  Fellowship  as 
before  the  end  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch. 

The  names  of  the  Races  which  have  spread  over  the 
Earth  during  the  Fifth  Epoch,  up  to  the  present  time, 
are  as  follow : 

1. — The  Aryan,  which  went  south  to  India, 
2. — The  Babylonian-Assyrian-Chaldean. 
3. — The  Persian-Graeco-Latin. 
4.— The   Celtic. 

5. — The    Teutonic-Anglo-Saxon    (to    which    we 
belong) . 

From  the  mixture  of  the  different  nations  now  taking 
place  in  the  United  States  will  come  the  "Seed"  for  the 
last  Race,  in  the  beginning  of  the  Sixth  Epoch. 

Two  more  Races  will  be  evolved  in  our  present  Epoch, 
one  of  them  being  the  Slav.  When,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
hundred  years,  the  Sun,  because  of  the  precession  of  the 
equinoxes,  shall  have  entered  the  sign  Aquarius,  the  Rus- 
sian people  and  the  Slav  Races  in  general  will  reach  a 
degree  of  spiritual  development  which  will  advance  them 
far  beyond  their  present  condition.  Music  will  be  the 
chief  factor  in  bringing  this  about,  for  on  the  wings  of 
music  the  soul  which  is  attuned  may  fly  to  the  very 
Throne  of  God,  where  the  mere  intellect  cannot  reach. 
Development  attained  in  that  manner,  however,  is  not 
permanent,  because  it  is  one-sided,  therefore  not  in  har- 
mony with  the  law  of  evolution,  which  demands  that 
development,  to  be  permanent,  must  be  evenly  balanced — 
in  other  words,  that  spirituality  shall  Devolve  through,  or 


306  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

at  least  equally  with,  intellect.  For  this  reason  the  Slavic 
civilization  will  be  short-lived,  but  it  will  be  great  and 
joyful  while  it  lasts,  for  it  is  being  born  of  deep  sorrow 
and  untold  suffering,  and  the  law  of  Compensation  will 
bring  the  opposite  in  due  time. 

From  the  Slavs  will  descend  a  people  which  will  form 
the  last  of  the  seven  Eaces  of  the  Aryan  Epoch,  and  from 
the  people  of  the  United  States  will  descend  the  last  of 
all  the  Races  in  this  scheme  of  evolution,  which  will  run 
its  course  in  the  beginning  of  the  Sixth  Epoch. 

THE  SIXTEEN  PATHS  TO  DESTRUCTION. 

The  sixteen  Races  are  called  the  "Sixteen  paths  to 
destruction"  because  there  is  always,  in  each  Race,  a 
danger  that  the  soul  may  become  too  much  attached  to 
the  Race;  that  it  may  become  so  enmeshed  in  Race-char- 
acteristics it  cannot  rise  above  the  race-idea,  and  will 
therefore  fail  to  advance ;  that  it  may,  so  to  speak,  crystal- 
lize into  that  Race  and  consequently  be  confined  to  the 
Race-bodies  when  they  start  to  degenerate,  as  happened  to 
the  Jews. 

In  Periods,  Revolutions,  and  Epochs  where  there  are 
no  Races,  there  is  much  more  time,  and  the  likelihood  of 
becoming  fossilized  is  not  so  great,  nor  so  frequent.  But 
the  sixteen  Races  are  born  and  die  in  such  a  relatively 
short  time  there  is  grave  danger  that  the  one  who  gets  too 
much  attached  to  conditions  may  be  left  behind. 

Christ  is  the  great  unifying  Leader  of  the  Sixth  Epoch, 
and  He  enunciated  this  law  when  He  uttered  those  little- 
understood  words:  "If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate 
not  his  father,  and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and 
brethren,  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot 
be  my  disciple.  . 


EVOLUTION  ON  THE  EARTH  307 

"And  whosoever  doth  not  hear  his  cross,  and  come  after 
me,  cannot  be  my  disciple. 

"...  whosoever  he  be  of  you  that  forsaketh  not 
all  that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple." 

Not  that  we  are  to  leave,  nor  underestimate  family 
ties,  but  that  we  are  to  rise  above  them.  Father  and 
mother  are  "bodies";  all  relations  are  part  of  the  Race — 
which  belongs  to  Form.  The  souls  must  recognize  that 
they  are  not  Bodies,  nor  Eaces,  but  Egos  striving  for  per- 
fection. If  a  man  forgets  this,  and  identifies  himself  with 
his  Race — clinging  to  it  with  fanatic  patriotism — he  is 
likely  to  become  enmeshed  in  and  sink  with  it  when  his 
compeers  have  passed  to  greater  heights  on  the  Path  of 
Attainment. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
BACK  TO  THE  BIBLE. 

IN  our  age  the  missionary  spirit  is  strong.  The  West- 
ern churches  are  sending  missionaries  all  over  the 
world  to  convert  the  people  of  every  nation  to  a  belief 
in  their  creeds;  nor  are  they  alone  in  their  proselyting 
efforts.  The  East  has  commenced  a  strong  invasion  of 
Western  fields,  and  many  Christians  who  have  become 
dissatisfied  with  the  creeds  and  dogmas  taught  by  the 
clergy  and  impelled  to  search  for  truth  to  satisfy  the  de- 
mands of  the  intellect  for  an  adequate  explanation  of  the 
problems  of  life,  have  familiarized  themselves  with,  and 
in  many  cases  accepted,  the  Eastern  teachings  of  Bud- 
dhism, Hinduism,  etc. 

From  an  occult  point  of  view,  this  missionary  effort, 
whether  from  East  to  West  or  vice  versa,  is  not  desirable, 
because  it  is  contrary  to  the  trend  of  evolution.  The  great 
Leaders  of  humanity  Who  are  in  charge  of  our  develop- 
ment give  us  every  aid  necessary  to  that  end.  Religion 
is  one  of  these  aids,  and  there  are  excellent  reasons  why 
the  Bible,  containing  not  only  the  one,  but  both  the 
Jewish  and  Christian  religions,  should  have  been  given 
to  the  West.  If  we  earnestly  seek  for  light  we  shall  see 
the  Supreme  Wisdom  which  has  given  us  this  double 
religion  and  how  no  other  religion  of  the  present  day  is 
suitable  to  our  peculiar  needs.  To  this  end  we  will  in  this 

308 


BACK  TO  THE  BIBLE  309 

chapter  touch  again  upon  certain  points  previously 
brought  out  in  various  places  and  connections. 

In  the  Polarian,  Hyperborean  and  Lemurian  Epochs 
the  task  of  leading  humanity  was  a  comparatively  easy  one, 
for  man  was  then  without  mind,  but  when  that  disturbing 
element  came  in  during  the  first  part  of  the  Atlantean 
Epoch,  he  developed  Cunning,  which  is  the  product  of  the 
mind  unchecked  by  the  spirit.  Cunning  acts  as  an  aid 
to  desire,  regardless  of  whether  the  desire  is  good  or  bad, 
whether  it  will  bring  joy  or  sorrow. 

In  the  middle  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch  the  spirit  had 
drawn  completely  into  its  vehicles  and  commenced  to  work 
in  the  mind  to  produce  Thought  and  Reason:  the  ability 
to  trace  a  given  cause  to  its  inevitable  effect,  and  to 
deduce  from  a  given  effect  the  cause  which  produced  it. 
This  faculty  of  Eeasoning  or  Logic  was  to  become  more 
fully  developed  in  the  Aryan  Epoch,  and  therefore  the 
Original  Semites  (the  fifth  race  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch) 
were  a  "chosen  people,"  to  bring  out  that  germinal  faculty 
to  such  a  ripeness  that -it  would  be  impregnated  into  the 
very  fibre  of  their  descendants,  who  would  thus  become  the 
New  Race. 

To  transmute  Cunning  into  Reason  proved  no  easy  task. 
The  earlier  changes  in  man's  nature  had  been  easily 
brought  about.  He  could  then  be  led  without  difficulty 
because  he  had  no  conscious  desires,  nor  mind  to  guide 
him,  but  by  the  time  of  the  Original  Semites  he  had 
become  cunning  enough  to  resent  limitations  of  his  liberty 
and  to  circumvent  repeatedly  the  measures  taken  to  hold 
him  in  line.  The  task  of  guiding  him  was  all  the  more 
difficult  because  it  was  necessary  he  should  have  some  lib- 
erty of  choice,  that  he  might  in  time  learn  self-govern- 
ment. Therefore  a  law  was  enacted  which  decreed  imrne- 


310  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

diate  rewards  for  obedience  and  instant  punishment  for 
disregard  of  its  provisions.  Thus  was  man  taught,  coaxed 
and  coerced  into  reasoning  in  a  limited  manner  that  "the 
way  of  the  transgressor  is  hard/'  and  that  he  must  "fear 
God,"  or  the  Leader  Who  guided  him. 

Out  of  all  who  were  chosen  as  "seed"  for  the  new  Race, 
but  few  remained  faithful.  Most  of  them  were  rebellious 
and,  so  far  as  they  were  concerned,  entirely  frustrated  the 
purpose  of  the  Leader  by  intermarrying  with  the  other 
Atlantean  Races,  thus  bringing  inferior  blood  into  their 
descendants.  That  is  what  is  meant  in  the  Bible  where 
the  fact  is  recorded  that  the  sons  of  God  married  the 
daughters  of  men.  For  that  act  of  disobedience  were  they 
abandoned  and  "lost."  Even  the  faithful  died,  according 
to  the  body,  in  the  Desert  of  Gobi  (the  "Wilderness")  in 
Central  Asia,  the  cradle  of  our  present  Race.  They  rein- 
carnated, as  their  own  descendants  of  course,  and  thus 
inherited  the  "Promised  Land,"  the  Earth  as  it  is  now. 
They  are  the  Aryan  Races,  in  whom  Reason  is  being 
evolved  to  perfection. 

The  rebellious  ones  who  were  abandoned  are  the  Jews, 
of  whom  the  great  majority  are  still  governed  more  by  the 
Atlantean  faculty  of  Cunning  than  by  Reason.  In  them 
the  race-feeling  is  so  strong  that  they  distinguish  only 
two  classes  of  people :  Jews  and  Gentiles.  They  despise  the 
other  nations  and  are  in  turn  despised  by  them  for  their 
cunning,  selfishness  and  avarice.  It  is  not  denied  that 
they  give  to  charity,  but  it  is  principally,  if  not  exclusively, 
among  their  own  people  and  rarely  internationally,  as 
was  done  in  the  case  of  the  earthquake  disaster  in  Italy, 
where  barriers  of  creed,  race  and  nationality  were  for- 
gotten in  the  human  feeling  of  sympathy. 

In  such  cases  as  that  and  the  San  Francisco  disaster,  the 


BACK  TO  THE  BIBLE  311 

inner  spiritual  nature  of  man  becomes  more  in  evidence 
than  under  any  other  circumstances,  and  the  close  observer 
may  then  discern  the  trend  of  evolution.  The  fact  then 
becomes  manifest  that  though  in  the  stress  of  ordinary  life 
our  actions  may  deny  it,  nevertheless  at  heart  we  know  and 
acknowledge  the  great  truth  that  we  are  brothers  and  the 
hurt  of  one  is  really  felt  by  all.  Such  incidents,  therefore, 
point  out  the  direction  of  evolution.  The  control  of  man 
by  Reason  must  be  succeeded  by  that  of  Love,  which  at 
present  acts  independent  of  and  sometimes  even  contrary 
to  the  dictates  of  Reason.  This  anomaly  arises  from 
the  fact  that  Love,  at  present,  is  rarely  quite  unselfish 
and  our  Reason  is  not  always  true.  In  the  "New  Galilee," 
the  coming  Sixth  Epoch,  Love  will  become  unselfish  and 
Reason  will  approve  its  dictates.  Universal  Brotherhood 
shall  then  be  fully  realized,  each  working  for  the  good  of 
all,  because  self-seeking  will  be  a  thing  of  the  past. 

That  this  much-to-be-desired  end  may  be  attained,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  select  another  "chosen  people"  from 
the  present  stock  to  serve  as  a  nucleus  from  which  the 
new  Race  shall  spring.  This  choosing  is  not  to  be  done 
contrary  to  the  will  of  the  chosen.  Each  man  must  choose 
for  himself;  he  must  willingly  enter  the  ranks. 

Races  are  but  an  evanescent  feature  of  evolution.  Be- 
fore the  end  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch  there  was  a  "chosen 
people,"  different  from  the  ordinary  humanity  of  that 
time,  who  became  the  ancestors  of  the  Atlantean  Races. 
From  the  fifth  race  of  those  another  "chosen  people"  was 
drawn,  from  which  the  Aryan  Races  descended,  of  which 
there  have  been  five  and  will  be  two  more.  Before  a  new 
Epoch  is  ushered  in,  however,  there  must  be  "a  new  heaven 
'and  a  new  earth";  the  physical  features  of  the  Earth  will 
be  changed  and  its  density  decreased.  There  will  be  one 


312  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Kace  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  Epoch,  but  after  that 
every  thought  and  feeling  of  Kace  will  disappear.  Human- 
ity will  again  constitute  one  vast  Fellowship,  regardless  of 
all  distinctions.  Eaces  are  simply  steps  in  evolution  which 
must  be  taken,  otherwise  there  will  be  no  progress  for  the 
spirits  incarnating  in  them.  But,  though  necessary  steps, 
they  are  also  extremely  dangerous  ones,  and  are  therefore 
the  cause  of  grave  concern  to  the  Leaders  of  mankind. 
They  call  these  sixteen  Eaces  "the  sixteen  paths  to  destruc- 
tion" because,  while  in  previous  Epochs  the  changes  came 
after  such  enormous  intervals  that  it  was  easier  to  get 
the  majority  of  the  entities  in  line  for  promotion,  it  is 
different  with  the  Eaces.  They  are  comparatively  eva- 
nescent; therefore  extra  care  must  be  taken  that  as  few  of 
the  spirits  as  possible  become  enmeshed  in  the  fetters  of 
Eace. 

This  is  exactly  what  happened  to  the  spirits  incarnated 
in  the  Jewish  Eace-bodies.  They  attached  themselves  so 
firmly  to  the  Eace  that  they  are  drawn  back  into  it  in 
successive  incarnations.  "Once  a  Jew,  always  a  Jew"  is 
their  slogan.  They  have  entirely  forgotten  their  spiritual 
nature  and  glory  in  the  material  fact  of  being  "Abraham's 
seed."  Therefore  they  are  neither  "fish  nor  flesh."  They 
have  no  part  in  the  advancing  Aryan  Eace  and  yet  they 
are  beyond  those  remnants  of  the  Lemurian  and  Atlantean 
peoples  which  are  still  with  us.  They  have  become  a  people 
without  a  country,  an  anomaly  among  mankind. 

Because  of  their  bondage  to  the  Eace-idea,  their  one- 
time Leader  was  forced  to  abandon  them,  and  they  became 
"lost."  That  they  might  cease  to  regard  themselves  as 
separate  from  other  peoples,  other  nations  were  stirred  up 
against  them  at  various  times  by  the  Leaders  of  humanity 
and  they  were  led  captive  from  the  country  where  they  had 


BACK  TO  THE  BIBLE  313 

settled,  but  in  vain.  They  stubbornly  refused  to  amalga- 
mate with  others.  Again  and  again  they  returned  in  a 
body  to  their  arid  land.  Prophets  of  their  own  Race  were 
raised  up  who  mercilessly  rebuked  them  and  predicted  dire 
disaster,  but  without  avail. 

As  a  final  effort  to  persuade  them  to  cast  off  the  fetters 
of  Race,  we  have  the  seeming  anomaly  that  the  Leader 
of  the  coming  Race,  the  Great  Teacher  Christ,  appeared 
among  the  Jews.  This  still  further  shows  the  compassion 
and  Wisdom  of  the  great  Beings  Who  guide  evolution. 
Among  all  the  Races  of  the  Earth,  none  other  was  "lost" 
in  the  same  sense  as  the  Jews;  none  other  so  sorely  needed 
help.  To  send  them  a  stranger,  not  one  of  their  own  Race, 
would  have  been  manifestly  useless.  It  was  a  foregone 
conclusion  that  they  would  have  rejected  him.  As  the 
great  spirit  known  as  Booker  T.  Washington  incarnated 
among  the  negroes,  to  be  received  by  them  as  one  of  them- 
selves, and  thus  enabled  to  enlighten  them  as  no  white  man 
could,  so  the  great  Leaders  hoped  that  the  appearance  of 
Christ  among  the  Jews  as  one  of  their  own  might  bring 
them  to  accept  Him  and  His  teachings  and  thus  draw  them 
out  of  the  meshes  of  the  Race-bodies.  But  sad  it  is 
to  see  how  human  prejudice  can  prevail.  ."He  came  unto 
His  own  and"  they  chose  Barabbas.  He  did  not  glory 
in  Abraham,  nor  any  other  of  their  ancient  traditions. 
He  spoke  of  "another  world/'  of  a  new  earth,  of  Love  and 
Forgiveness,  and  repudiated  the  doctrine  of  "an  eye  for 
and  eye."  He  did  not  call  them  to  arms  against  Caesar; 
had  He  done  so,  they  would  have  hailed  Him  as  a  deliverer. 
In  that  respect  He  was  misunderstood  even  by  His  dis- 
ciples, who  mourned  as  greatly  over  their  vanished  hope 
of  an  earthly  kingdom  as  over  the  Friend  slain  by  Roman 
hands. 


314  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

The  rejection  of  Christ  by  the  Jews  was  the  supreme 
proof  of  their  thralldom  to  Eace.  Thenceforth  all  efforts 
to  save  them  as  a  whole  by  giving  them  special  prophets 
and  teachers,  were  abandoned  and,  as  the  futility  of  exiling 
them  in  a  body  had  been  proven,  they  were,  as  a  last 
expedient,  scattered  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
Despite  all,  however,  the  extreme  tenacity  of  this  people 
has  prevailed  even  to  the  present  day,  the  majority  being 
yet  orthodox.  In  America,  however,  there  is  now  a  slight 
falling  away.  The  younger  generation  is  commencing  to 
marry  outside  the  Eace.  In  time,  an  increasing  number 
of  bodies,  with  fewer  and  fewer  of  the  Eace  characteristics, 
will  thus  be  provided  for  the  incarnating  spirits  of  the 
Jews  of  the  past.  In  this  manner  will  they  be  saved  in 
spite  of  themselves.  They  became  "lost"  by  marrying  into 
inferior  Eaces;  they  will  be  saved  by  amalgamating  with 
those  more  advanced. 

As  the  present  Aryan  Baces  are  reasoning  human  beings, 
capable  of  profiting  by  past  experience,  the  logical  means 
of  helping  them  is  by  telling  them  of  past  stages  of  growth 
and  the  fate  that  overtook  the  disobedient  Jews.  Those 
rebels  had  a  written  record  of  how  their  Leaders  had  dealt 
with  them.  It  set  forth  how  they  had  been  chosen  and 
rebelled ;  were  punished ;  but  were  yet  hopeful  of  ultimate 
redemption.  That  record  may  be  profitably  used  by  us, 
that  we  may  learn  how  not  to  act.  It  is  immaterial  that, 
in  the  course  of  ages,  it  has  become  mutilated,  and  that  the 
Jews  of  today  are  still  under  the  delusion  of  being  a 
"chosen  people";  the  lesson  that  may  be  drawn  from  their 
experience  is  none  the  less  valid.  We  may  learn  how  a 
"chosen  people"  may  harass  their  Leader,  frustrate  His 
plans,  and  become  bound'  to  a  Bace  for  ages.  Their  ex- 
perience should  be  a  warning  to  any  future  "chosen  peo- 


BACK  TO  THE  BIBLE  315 

pie."  This  Paul  points  out  in  unmistakable  terms  (Heb. 
ii :  3-4) ;  "For  if  the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  steadfast, 
and  every  transgression  and  disobedience  received  a  just 
recompense  of  reward,  How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect 
so  great  salvation?"  and  Paul  was  speaking  to  Christians, 
for  the  Hebrews  to  whom  he  wrote  this  were  converted,  had 
accepted  Christ  and  were  people  whom  he  expected  would, 
in  some  future  incarnation,  be  among  the  new  "chosen 
people,"  who  would  willingly  follow  a  Leader  and  evolve 
the  faculty  of  Love  and  spiritual  perception,  the  intuition 
which  shall  succeed  self-seeking  and  Reason. 

The  Christian  teaching  of  the  New  Testament  belongs 
particularly  to  the  pioneer  Races  of  the  Western  World. 
It  is  being  specially  implanted  among  the  people  of  the 
United  States,  for  as  the  object  of  the  new  Race  of 
the  Sixth  Epoch  will  be  the  unification  of  all  the  Races,  the 
United  States  is  becoming  the  "melting-pot"  where  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth  are  being  amalgamated,  and  from 
this  amalgamation  will  the  next  "chosen  people,"  the 
nucleus,  be  chiefly  derived. 

Those  spirits,  from  all  countries  of  the  earth,  who  have 
striven  to  follow  the  teachings  of  the  Christ,  consciously 
or  otherwise,  will  be  incarnated  here,  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  them  conditions  suitable  for  that  development. 
Hence  the  American-born  Jew  is  different  from  the  Jew 
of  other  countries.  The  very  fact  that  he  has  incarnated 
in  the  Western  World  shows  that  he  is  becoming  emanci- 
pated from  the  Race-spirit,  and  is  consequently  in  advance 
of  the  crystallized  Old  World  orthodox  Jew,  as  were  his 
parents,  or  they  would  not  have  conceived  the  idea  of  sever- 
ing the  old  ties  and  moving  to  America.  Therefore  the 
American-born  Jew  is  the  pioneer  who  will  prepare 
the  path  which  his  compatriots  will  follow  later. 


316  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Thus  we  can  see  that  the  Bible  contains  the  teaching 
peculiarly  needed  by  the  Western  peoples,  that  they  may  be 
taught  a  lesson  by  the  awful  example  of  the  Jewish  Race 
as  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  learn  to  live  by 
the  teachings  of  the  Christ  in  the  New,  willingly  offering 
up  their  bodies  as  a  living  sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  Fel- 
lowship and  Love. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS. 

Limitations  of  the  Bible. 

IN  our  study  thus  far,  previous  to  Chapter  XIII,  com- 
paratively little  reference  has  been  made  to  the  Bible, 
but  we  shall  now  devote  our  attention  to  it  for  some 
time.  Not  that  it  is  intended  to  attempt  a  vindication  of 
the  Bible  (in  the  form  in  which  it  is  commonly  known 
to  us  at  the  present  day)  as  the  only  true  and  inspired 
Word  of  God,  nevertheless  it  is  true  that  it  contains  much 
valuable  occult  knowledge.  This  is,  to  a  great  extent, 
hidden  beneath  interpolations  and  obscured  by  the  arbi- 
trary withholding  of  certain  parts  as  being  "apocryphal." 
The  occult  scientist,  who  knows  the  intended  meaning, 
can,  of  course,  easily  see  which  portions  are  original  and 
which  have  been  interpolated.  Yet,  if  we  take  the  first 
chapter  of  Genesis  even  as  it  stands,  in  the  best  transla- 
tions we  possess,  we  shall  find  that  it  unfolds  the  identical 
scheme  of  evolution  which  has  been  explained  in  the  pre- 
ceding portion  of  this  work  and  harmonizes  quite  well 
with  the  occult  information  in  regard  to  Periods,  Revo- 
lutions, Races,  etc.  The  outlines  given  are  necessarily 
of  the  briefest  and  most  condensed  character,  an  entire 
Period  being  covered  in  a  score  of  words — nevertheless,  the 
outlines  are  there. 

Before  proceeding  with  an  analysis  it  is  necessary  to 
317 


318  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

say  that  the  words  of  the  Hebrew  language,  particularly 
the  old  style,  run  into  one  another  and  are  not  divided  as 
are  those  of  our  language.  Add  to  this  that  there  is  a 
custom  of  leaving  out  vowels  from  the  writing,  so  that  in 
reading  much  depends  upon  where  and  how  they  are 
inserted,  and  it  will  be  seen  how  great  are  the  difficulties 
to  be  surmounted  in  ascertaining  the  original  meaning. 
A  slight  change  may  entirely  alter  the  signification  of 
almost  any  sentence. 

In  addition  to  these  great  difficulties  we  must  also 
bear  in  mind  that  of  the  forty-seven  translators  of  the 
King  James'  version  (that  most  commonly  used  in  Eng- 
land and  America),  only  three  were  Hebrew  scholars,  and 
of  those  three,  two  died  before  the  Psalms  had  been  trans- 
lated !  We  must  still  further  take  into  consideration  that 
the  Act  which  authorized  the  translation  prohibited  the 
translators  from  any  rendition  that  would  greatly  deviate 
from  or  tend  to  disturb  the  already  existing  belief.  It 
is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  chances  of  getting  a  correct 
translation  were  very  small  indeed. 

Nor  were  conditions  much  more  favorable  in  Germany, 
for  there  Martin  Luther  was  the  sole  translator  and  even 
he  did  not  translate  from  the  original  Hebrew,  but  merely 
from  a  Latin  text.  Most  of  the  versions  used  in  Conti- 
nental Protestant  countries  today  are  simply  translations, 
into  the  different  languages,  of  Luther's  translation. 

True,  there  have  been  revisions,  but  they  have  not 
greatly  improved  matters.  Moreover,  there  is  a  large  num- 
ber of  people  in  this  country  who  insist  that  the  English 
text  of  the  King  James  version  is  absolutely  correct  from 
cover  to  cover,  as  though  the  Bible  had  been  originally 
written  in  English,  and  the  King  James  version  were  a 
certified  copy  of  the  original  manuscript.  So  the  old 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  319 

mistakes  are  still  there,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  which  have 
been  made  to  eradicate  them. 

It  must  also  be  noted  that  those  who  originally  wrote 
the  Bible  did  not  intend  to  give  out  the  truth  in  such 
plain  form  that  he  who  ran  might  read.  Nothing  was 
further  from  their  thoughts  than  to  write  an  "open  book 
of  God."  The  great  occultists  who  wrote  the  Zohar  are 
very  emphatic  upon  this  point.  The  secrets  of  the  Thorah 
were  not  to  be  understood  by  all,  as  the  following  quotation 
will  show: 

"Woe  to  the  man  who  sees  in  the  Thorah  (the  law) 
only  simple  recitals  and  ordinary  words!  Because,  if  in 
truth  it  contained  only  these,  we  would  even  today  be  able 
to  compose  a  Thorah  much  more  worthy  of  admiration. 
But  it  is  not  so.  Each  word  of  the  Thorah  contains  an 
elevated  meaning  and  a  sublime  mystery.  .  .  .  The 
recitals  of  the  Thorah  are  the  vestments  of  the  Thorah. 
Woe  to  him  who  takes  this  vestment  of  the  Thorah  for 
the  Thorah  itself !  .  .  .  The  simple  take  notice  of  the 
garments  and  recitals  of  the  Thorah  alone.  They  know 
no  other  thing.  They  see  not  that  which  is  concealed 
under  the  vestment.  The  more  instructed  men  do  not  pay 
attention  to  the  vestment,  but  to  the  body  which  it  en- 
velops." 

In  the  preceding  words  the  allegorical  meanings  are 
plainly  implied.  Paul  also  unequivocally  says  that  the 
story  of  Abraham  and  the  two  sons  whom  he  had  by  Sarah 
and  Hagar  is  purely  allegorical  (Gal.  iv:22-26).  Many 
passages  are  veiled;  others  are  to  be  taken  verbatim;  and 
no  one  who  has  not  the  occult  key  is  able  to  find  the  deep 
truth  hidden  in  what  is  often  a  very  hideous  garment. 

The  secrecy  regarding  these  deep  matters  and  the  in- 
variable use  of  allegories  where  the  mass  of  the  people 


320  BOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

were  permitted  to  come  in  contact  with  occult  truths  will 
also  be  apparent  from  the  practice  of  Christ,  who  always 
spoke  to  the  multitude  in  parables,  afterward  privately 
explaining  to  His  disciples  the  deeper  meaning  contained 
therein.  On  several  occasions  He  imposed  secrecy  upon 
them  with  regard  to  such  private  teachings. 

Paul's  methods  .are  also  in  harmony  with  this,  for  he 
gives  "milk"  or  the  more  elementary  teaching  to  the 
"babes"  in  the  faith,  reserving  the  "meat"  or  deeper  teach- 
ing for  the  "strong" — those  who  had  qualified  themselves 
to  understand  and  receive  them. 

The  Jewish  Bible  was  originally  written  in  Hebrew, 
but  we  do  not  possess  one  single  line  of  the  original  writ- 
ings. As  early  as  280  B.  C.  the  Septuagint,  a  translation 
into  Greek,  was  brought  forth.  Even  in  the  time  of  Christ 
there  was  already  the  utmost  confusion  and  diversity  of 
opinion  regarding  what  was  to  be  admitted  as  original, 
and  what  had  been  interpolated. 

It  was  not  until  the  return  from  the  Babylonian  exile 
that  the  scribes  began  to  piece  together  the  different  writ- 
ings, and  not  until  about  500  A.  D.  did  the  Talmud  ap- 
pear, giving  the  first  text  resembling  the  present  one, 
which,  in  view  of  the  foregoing  facts,  cannot  be  perfect. 

The  Talmud  was  then  taken  in  hand  by  the  Masorete 
school,  which  from  590  to  about  800  A.  D.  was  principally 
in  Tiberias.  With  great  and  painstaking  labor,  a  Hebrew 
Old  Testament  was  produced,  which  is  the  nearest  to  the 
original  we  have  at  the  present  time. 

This  Masoretic  text  will  be  used  in  the  following  elucida- 
tion of  Genesis,  and,  not  relying  upon  the  work  of  one 
translator,  it  will  be  supplemented  by  a  German  transla- 
tion, the  work  of  three  eminent  Hebrew  scholars — H.  Am- 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  321 

heim,  M.  Sachs,  and  Jul.  Furst,  who  co-operated  with  a 
fourth,  Dr.  Zunz,  the  latter  being  also  the  editor. 

IN  THE  BEGINNING 

The  opening  sentence  of  Genesis  is  a  very  good  example 
of  what  has  been  stated  about  the  interpretation  of  the 
Hebrew  text,  which  may  be  changed  by  differently  placing 
the  vowels  and  dividing  the  words  in  another  way. 

There  are  two  well-recognized  methods  of  reading  this 
sentence.  One  is:  "In  the  beginning  God  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth";  the  other  is:  "Out  of  the  ever- 
existing  essence  [of  space]  the  twofold  energy  formed  the 
double  heaven." 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  as  to  which  of  these 
two  interpretations  is  correct.  The  difficulty  is,  that  peo- 
ple want  something  settled  and  definite.  They  take  the 
stand  that,  if  a  certain  explanation  is  true,  all  others 
must  be  wrong.  But,  emphatically,  this  is  not  the  way 
to  get  at  truth,  which  is  many  sided  and  multiplex.  Each 
occult  truth  requires  examination  from  many  different 
points  of  view;  each  viewpoint  presents  a  certain  phase 
of  the  truth,  and  all  of  them  are  necessary  to  get  a  com- 
plete, definite  conception  of  whatever  is  under  considera- 
tion. 

The  very  fact  that  this  sentence  and  many  others  in  the 
vestment  of  the  Thorah  can  thus  be  made  to  yield  many 
meanings,  while  confusing  to  the  uninitiated,  is  illumina- 
tive to  those  who  have  the  key,  and  the  transcendental 
wisdom  of  the  wonderful  Intelligences  Who  inspired  the 
Thorah  is  thereby  shown.  Had  the  vowels  been  inserted, 
and  a  division  made  into  words,  there  would  have  been 
only  one  way  of  reading  it  and  these  grand  and  sublime 
mysteries  could  not  have  been  hidden  therein.  That  would 


322  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

have  been  the  proper  method  to  pursue  if  the  authors  had 
meant  to  write  an  "open"  book  of  God ;  but  that  was  not 
their  purpose.  It  was  written  solely  for  the  initiated, 
and  can  be  read  understandingly  by  them  only.  It  would 
have  required  much  less  skill  to  have  written  the  book 
plainly  than  to  have  concealed  its  meaning.  No  pains 
are  ever  spared,  however,  to  bring  the  information,  in  due 
time,  to  those  who  are  entitled  to  it,  while  withholding 
it  from  those  who  have  not  yet  earned  the  right  to  pos- 
sess it. 

THE  NEBULAR  THEORY. 

Regarded  by  the  light  thrown  upon  the  genesis  and 
evolution  of  our  system,  it  is  plain  that  both  renderings  of 
the  opening  sentence  in  the  Book  of  Genesis  are  necessary 
to  an  understanding  of  the  subject.  The  first  tells  that 
there  was  a  beginning  of  our  evolution,  in  which  the 
heavens  were  created ;  the  other  interpretation  supplements 
the  first  statement  by  adding  that  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  were  created  out  of  the  "ever-existing  essence,"  not 
out  of  "nothing,"  as  is  jeeringly  pointed  out  by  the  ma- 
terialist. The  Cosmic  Root-substance  is  gathered  together 
and  set  in  motion.  The  rings  formed  by  the  inertia  of  the 
revolving  mass  break  away  from  the  central  part,  forming 
planets,  etc.,  as  the  modern  scientist,  with  remarkable  in- 
genuity, has  reasoned  out.  Occult  and  modern  science  are 
in  perfect  harmony  as  to  the  modus  operandi.  There  is 
nothing  in  these  statements  inconsistent  with  the  two 
theories,  as  will  presently  be  shown.  Occult  science  teaches 
that  God  instituted  the  process  of  formation  and  is  con- 
stantly guiding  the  System  in  a  definite  path.  The  modern 
scientist,  in  refutation  of  what  he  calls  a  foolish  idea,  and 
to  demonstrate  that  a  God  is  not  necessary,  takes  a  basin 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  3^3 

of  water  and  pours  a  little  oil  into  it.  The  water  and  the 
oil  represent  space  and  fire-mist  respectively.  He  now 
commences  to  turn  the  oil  around  with  a  needle,  bringing 
it  into  the  form  -of  a  sphere.  This,  he  explains,  repre- 
sents the  Central  Sun.  As  he  turns  the  oil-ball  faster  and 
faster,  it  bulges  at  the  equator  and  throws  off  a  ring;  the 
ring  breaks  and  the  fragments  coalesce,  forming  a  smaller 
ball,  which  circles  around  the  central  mass  as  a  planet 
circles  around  the  Sun.  Then  he  pityingly  asks  the  occult 
scientist,  "Do  you  not  see  how  it  is  done?  There  is  no 
need  for  your  God,  or  any  supernatural  force." 

The  occultist  readily  agrees  that  a  Solar  System  may 
be  formed  in  approximately  the  manner  illustrated.  But 
he  marvels  greatly  that  a  man  possessing  the  clear  in- 
tuition enabling  him  to  perceive  with  such  accuracy  the 
operation  of  Cosmic  processes,  and  the  intellect  to  con- 
ceive this  brilliant  demonstration  of  his  monumental 
theory,  should  at  the  same  time  be  quite  unable  to  see 
that  in  his  demonstration  he  himself  plays  the  part  of 
God.  His  was  the  extraneous  power  that  placed  the  oil 
in  the  water,  where  it  would  have  remained  inert  and 
shapeless  through  all  eternity  had  he  not  supplied  the 
force  that  set  it  in  motion,  thereby  causing  it  to  shape 
itself  into  a  representation  of  Sun  and  planets.  His  was 
the  Thought  which  designed  the  experiment,  using  the 
oil,  water  and  force,  thus  illustrating  in  a  splendid  man- 
ner the  Triune  God  working  in  Cosmic  substance  to  form 
a  Solar  System. 

The  attributes  of  God  are  Will,  Wisdom,  and  Activity. 
(See  diagram  6.  Note  carefully  what  the  name  "God" 
signifies  in  this  terminology.)  The  scientist  has  Will  to 
make  the  experiment.  He  has  ingenuity  to  supply  ways 
and  means  for  the  demonstration.  This  ingenuity  corre- 


324  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

spends  to  Wisdom,  the  second  attribute  of  God.  He  has 
also  the  muscular  force  necessary  to  perform  the  action, 
corresponding  to  Activity,  which  is  the  third  attribute  of 
God. 

Further,  the  universe  is  not  a  vast  perpetual-motion  ma- 
chine, which,  when  once  set  going,  keeps  on  without  any 
internal  cause  or  guiding  force.  That  also  is  proven  by 
the  experiment  of  the  scientist,  for  the  moment  he  ceases 
to  turn  the  oil-ball  the  orderly  motion  of  his  miniature 
planets  also  ceases  and  all  returns  to  a  shapeless  mass  of 
oil  floating  on  the  water.  In  a  corresponding  manner,  the 
universe  would  at  once  dissolve  into  "thin  space"  if  God 
for  one  moment  ceased  to  exert  His  all-embracing  care 
and  energizing  activity. 

The  second  interpretation  of  Genesis  is  marvelously  exact 
in  its  description  of  a  twofold  formative  energy.  It  does 
not  specifically  state  that  God  is  Triune.  The  reader's 
knowledge  of  that  fact  is  taken  for  granted.  It  states  the 
exact  truth  when  it  says  that  only  two  forces  are  active  in 
the  formation  of  a  universe. 

When  the  first  aspect  of  the  Triune  God  manifests  as 
the  Will  to  create,  It  arouses  the  second  aspect  (which  is 
Wisdom)  to  design  a  plan  for  the  future  universe.  This 
first  manifestation  of  Force  is  Imagination.  After  this 
primal  Force  of  Imagination  has  conceived  the  Idea  of  a 
universe,  the  third  aspect  (which  is  Activity),  working  in 
Cosmic  substance,  produces  Motion.  This  is  the  second 
manifestation  of  Force.  Motion  alone,  however,  is  not 
sufficient.  To  form  a  system  of  worlds,  it  must  be  orderly 
motion.  Wisdom  is  therefore  necessary  to  guide  Motion 
in  an  intelligent  manner  to  produce  definite  results. 

Thus  we  find   the  opening  sentence   of  the  Book  of 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  325 

Genesis  tells  us  that  in  the  beginning,  orderly,  rhythmic 
motion,  in  Cosmic  Root-substance,  formed  the  universe. 

THE  CREATIVE  HIERARCHIES. 

The  second  interpretation  of  the  opening  sentence  also 
gives  us  a  fuller  idea  of  God  when  it  speaks  of  the  "two- 
fold energy,"  pointing  to  the  positive  and  negative  phases 
of  the  One  Spirit  of  God  in  manifestation.  In  harmony 
with  the  teaching  of  occult  science,  God  is  represented  as 
a  composite  Being.  This  is  accentuated  in  the  remaining 
verses  of  the  chapter. 

In  addition  to  the  creative  Hierarchies  which  worked 
voluntarily  in  our  evolution,  there  are  seven  others  which 
belong  to  our  evolution,  and  are  co-workers  with  God  in 
the  formation  of  the  universe.  In  the  first  chapter  of 
Genesis  these  Hierarchies  are  called  "Elohim."  The  name 
signifies  a  host  of  dual  or  double-sexed  Beings.  The  first 
part  of  the  word  is  "Eloh,"  which  is  a  feminine  noun,  the 
letter  "h"  indicating  the  gender.  If  a  single  feminine  Be- 
ing were  meant,  the  word  "Eloh"  would  have  been  used. 
The  feminine  plural  is  "oth,"  so  if  the  intention  had  been 
to  indicate  a  number  of  Gods  of  the  feminine  gender,  the 
correct  word  to  use  would  have  been  "Elooth."  Instead  of 
either  of  those  forms,  however,  we.  find  the  masculine, 
plural  ending,  "im,"  added  to  the  feminine  noun,  "Eloh," 
indicating  a  host  of  male-female,  double-sexed  Beings,  ex- 
pressions of  the  dual,  positive-negative,  creative  energy. 

The  plurality  of  Creators  is  again  implied  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  chapter,  where  these  words  are  ascribed  to  the 
Elohim :  "Let  us  make  man  in  our  image ;"  after  which 
it  is  inconsistently  added,  "He  made  them  male  and  fe- 
male." 

The  translators  have  here  rendered  the  puzzling  word 


326  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

"Elohim"  (which  was  decidedly  not  only  a  plural  woid 
but  also  both  masculine  and  feminine)  as  being  the  equiva- 
lent of  the  singular,  sexless  word,  "God."  Yet  could  they 
have  done  differently,  even  had  they  known?  They  were 
forbidden  to  disturb  existing  ideas.  It  was  not  truth  at 
any  price,  but  peace  at  any  price  that  King  James  desired, 
his  sole  anxiety  being  to  avoid  any  controversy  that  might 
create  a  disturbance  in  his  kingdom. 

The  plural  "them"  is  also  used  where  the  creation  of  man 
is  mentioned,  clearly  indicating  that  the  reference  is  to 
the  creation  of  ADM,  the  human  species,  and  not  Adam, 
the  individual. 

We  have  shown  that  six  creative  Hierarchies  (besides 
the  Lords  of  Flame,  the  Cherubim,  the  Seraphim,  and  the 
two  unnamed  Hierarchies  which  have  passed  into  libera- 
tion) were  active  in  assisting  the  virgin  spirits  which  in 
themselves  form  a  seventh  Hierarchy. 

The  Cherubim  and  the  Seraphim  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  creation  of  Form;  therefore  they  are  not  men- 
tioned in  the  chapter  under  consideration,  which  deals 
principally  with  the  Form-side  of  Creation.  Here  we 
find  mentioned  only  the  seven  creative  Hierarchies  which 
did  the  actual  work  of  bringing  man  to  where  he  acquired 
a  dense  physical  forln,  through  which  the  indwelling  spirit 
could  work. 

After  a  description  of  each  part  of  the  work  of  Creation 
it  is  said:  "and  Elohim  saw  that  it  was  good."  This  is 
said  seven  times,  the  last  time  being  on  the  sixth  day, 
when  the  human  form  had  been  created. 

It  is  stated  that  on  the  seventh  day  "Elohim  rested." 
This  is  all  in  accord  with  our  occult  teaching  of  the  part 
taken  by  each  of  the  creative  Hierarchies  in  the  work  of 
evolution  down  to  the  present  Period.  It  is  also  taught 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  327 

that  in  the  present  Epoch  the  Gods  and  creative 
Hierarchies  have  withdrawn  from  active  participation,  that 
man  may  work  out  his  own  salvation,  leaving  the  neces- 
sary guidance  of  ordinary  humanity  to  the  "Elder 
Brothers,"  who  are  now  the  mediators  between  man  and 
the  Gods. 

THE  SATURN  PERIOD. 

Having  satisfied  ourselves  that  the  beginning  of  our 
System  and  the  work  of  the  creative  Hierarchies,  as  de- 
scribed by  occult  science,  harmonize  with  the  teachings  of 
the  Bible,  we  will  now  examine  the  Bible  account  of  the 
different  "Days  of  Creation"  and  see  how  they  agree  with 
the  occult  teachings  relative  to  the  Saturn,  Sun,  and  Moon 
Periods;  the  three  and  one-half  Revolutions  of  the  Earth 
Period;  and  the  Polarian,  Hyperborean,  Lemurian,  and 
Atlantean  Epochs,  which  have  preceded  the  present  Aryan 
Epoch. 

Naturally,  a  detailed  account  could  not  be  given  in  a 
few  lines  like  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis,  but  the  main 
points  are  there  in  orderly  succession,  very  much  like  an 
algebraical  formula  for  Creation. 

The  second  verse  proceeds:  "The  Earth  was  waste  and 
uninhabited,  and  darkness  rested  upon  the  face  of  the  deep ; 
and  the  Spirits  of  the  Elohim  floated  above  the  deep."  In 
the  beginning  of  manifestation  that  which  is  now  the 
Earth  was  in  the  Saturn  Period,  and  in  exactly  the  condi- 
tion described,  as  may  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  descrip- 
tions already  given  of  that  Period.  It  was  not  "without 
form  and  void,"  as  expressed  in  the  King  James  version. 
It  was  hot,  and  thus  well-defined  and  separate  from  the 
deep  of  space,  which  was  cold.  It  is  true  that  it  was 
dark,  but  it  could  be  dark  and  still  be  hot,  for  "dark" 


328  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

heat  necessarily  precedes  glowing  or  visible  heat.  Above 
this  dark  Earth  of  the  Saturn  Period  floated  the  creative 
Hierarchies.  They  worked  upon  it  from  the  outside  and 
molded  it.  The  Bible  refers  to  them  as  the  "Spirits  of  the 
Elohim." 

THE  SUN  PERIOD. 

The  Sun  Period  is  well  described  in  the  third  verse, 
which  says,  "And  the  Elohim  said,  Let  there  be  Light; 
and  there  was  Light."  This  passage  has  been  jeered  at  as 
the  most  ridiculous  nonsense.  The  scornful  query  has  been 
put,  How  could  there  be  light  upon  the  Earth  when  the 
Sun  was  not  made  until  the  fourth  day?  The  Bible  nar- 
rator, however,  is  not  speaking  of  the  Earth  alone.  He 
is  speaking  of  the  central  "Fire-mist,"  from  which  were 
formed  the  planets  of  our  system,  including  the  Earth. 
Thus  when  the  nebula  reached  a  state  of  glowing  heat, 
which  it  did  in  the  Sun  Period,  there  was  no  necessity 
for  an  outside  illuminant;  the  Light  was  within. 

In  the  fourth  verse  we  read :  "The  Elohim  differentiated 
between  the  light  and  the  darkness."  Necessarily,  for  the 
outside  space  was  dark,  in  contradistinction  to  the  glow- 
ing nebula  which  existed  during  the  Sun  Period 

THE  MOON  PERIOD. 

The  Moon  Period  is  described  in  the  sixth  verse,  as  fol- 
lows :  "and  Elohim  said,  Let  there  be  an  expansion  [trans- 
lated "firmament"  in  other  versions]  in  the  waters,  to  di- 
vide the  water  from  the  water."  This  exactly  describes 
conditions  in  the  Moon  Period,  when  the  heat  of  the  glow- 
ing fire-mist  and  the  cold  of  outside  space  had  formed  a 
body  of  water  around  the  fiery  core.  The  contact  of  fire 
and  water  generated  steam,  which  is  water  in  expansion, 


OCCULT   ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  329 

as  our  verse  describes.  It  was  different  from  the  com- 
paratively cool  water,  which  constantly  gravitated  toward 
the  hot,  fiery  core,  to  replace  the  outrushing  steam.  Thus 
there  was  a  constant  circulation  of  the  water  held  in  sus- 
pension, and  also  an  expansion,  as  the  steam,  rushing 
outward  from  the  fiery  core,  formed  an  atmosphere  of 
"fire-fog"  condensed  by  contact  with  outside  space, 
returning  again  to  the  core  to  be  reheated  and  perform 
another  cycle.  Thus  there  were  two  kinds  of  water,  and 
a  division  between  them,  as  stated  in  the  Bible.  The  dense 
water  was  nearest  the  fiery  core;  the  expanded  water  or 
steam  was  on  the  outside. 

This  also  harmonizes  with  the  scientific  theory  of  mod- 
ern times.  First  the  dark  heat;  then  the  glowing  nebula; 
later  the  outside  moisture  and  inside  heat;  and,  finally, 
incrustation. 

THE  EARTH  PERIOD. 

The  Earth  Period  is  next  described.  Before  we  take 
up  its  description,  however,  we  have  to  deal  with  the  Re- 
capitulations. The  verses  quoted  and  the  descriptions  given 
will  also  correspond  to  the  recapitulatory  Periods.  Thus 
what  is  said  of  the  Saturn  Period  describes  also  the  con- 
dition of  the  System  when  it  emerges  from  any  of  the  rest 
Periods.  The  descriptions  of  the  Saturn,  Sun,  and  Moon 
Periods  would  therefore  correspond  to  the  first  three  Revo- 
lutions of  our  present  Earth  Period,  and  the  following 
would  correspond  with  conditions  on  Earth  in  the  present 
Revolution. 

In  the  ninth  verse,  we  read:  "And  Elohim  said,  Let 
the  waters  be  divided  from  the  dry  land  .  .  .  and 
Elohim  called  the  dry  land  Earth."  This  refers  to  the 


330  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

first  firm  incrustation.  Heat  and  moisture  had  generated 
the  solid  body  of  our  present  Globe. 

The  Polarian  Epoch:  The  ninth  verse,  which  describes 
the  Earth  Period  in  this  fourth  Ee volution  (where  the 
real  Earth  Period  work  commenced),  also  describes  the 
formation  of  the  mineral  kingdom  and  the  Eecapitulation 
by  man  of  the  mineral  stage  in  the  Polarian  Epoch.  Each 
Epoch  is  also  a  Eecapitulation  of  the  previous  stage.  Just 
as  there  are  Eecapitulations  of  Globes,  Eevolutions,  and 
Periods,  so  there  are  on  each  Globe,  recapitulations  of  all 
that  has  gone  before.  These  Eecapitulations  are  endless. 
There  is  always  a  spiral  within  a  spiral — in  the  atom,  in 
the  Globe,  and  in  all  other  phases  of  evolution. 

Complicated  and  bewildering  as  this  may  appear  at 
first,  it  is  really  not  so  difficult  to  understand.  There  is 
an  orderly  method  running  through  it  all  and  in  time  one 
is  able  to  perceive  and  follow  the  workings  of  this  method, 
as  a  clue  leading  through  the  maze.  Analogy  is  one  of  the 
best  helps  to  an  understanding  of  evolution. 

The  Hyperborean  Epoch  is  described  in  verses  11  to  19, 
as  the  work  of  the  fourth  day.  It  is  here  recorded  that 
Elohim  created  the  plant  kingdom,  the  Sun,  the  Moon, 
and  the  stars. 

The  Bible  agrees  with  the  teaching  of  modern  science 
that  plants  succeeded  the  mineral.  The  difference  be- 
tween the  two  teachings  is  in  regard  to  the  time  when  the 
Earth  was  thrown  off  from  the  central  mass.  Science  as- 
serts that  it  was  before  the  formation  of  any  incrustation 
which  could  be  called  mineral  and  plant.  If  we  mean 
such  minerals  and  plants  as  we  have  today,  that  assertion 
is  correct.  There  was  no  dense  material  substance,  but 
nevertheless  the  first  incrustation  that  took  place  in  the 
central  Sun  was  mineral.  The  Bible  narrator  gives  only 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  331 

the  principal  incidents.  It  is  not  recorded  that  the  in- 
crustation melted  when  it  was  thrown  off  from  the  central 
mass  as  a  ring  which  broke,  the  fragments  afterward 
coalescing.  In  a  body  as  small  as  our  Earth,  the  time  re- 
quired for  recrystallization  was  so  comparatively  short  that 
the  historian  does  not  mention  it,  nor  the  further  sub- 
sidiary fact  that  the  melting  process  took  place  once  more 
when  the  Moon  was  thrown  off  from  the  Earth.  He  prob- 
ably reasons  that  one  who  is  entitled  to  occult  information 
is  already  in  possession  of  such  minor  details  as  those. 

The  plants  of  the  incrustation  of  the  central  fire-mist 
were  ethereal,  therefore  the  melting  processes  did  not  de- 
stroy them.  As  the  lines  of  force  along  which  the  ice 
crystals  form  are  present  in  the  water,  so  when  the  Earth 
crystallized,  were  those  ethereal  plant-forms  present  in  it. 
They  were  the  molds  which  drew  to  themselves  the  dense 
material  forming  the  plant-bodies  of  the  present  day  and 
also  of  the  plant-forms  of  the  past,  which  are  embedded 
in  the  geological  strata  of  our  Earth  globe. 

These  ethereal  plant-forms  were  aided  in  their  forma- 
tion when  the  heat  came  from  outside,  after  the  separa- 
tion of  the  Earth  from  Sun  and  Moon.  That  heat  gave 
them  the  vital  force  to  draw  to  themselves  the  denser  sub- 
stance. 

The  Lemurian  Epoch  is  described  in  the  work  of  the 
fifth  day.  This  Epoch,  being  the  third,  is  in  a  sense  a 
Recapitulation  of  the  Moon  Period,  and  in  the  Biblical 
narrative  we  find  described  such  conditions  as  obtained  in 
the  Moon  Period — water,  fire-fog,  and  the  first  attempts 
at  moving,  breathing  life. 

Verses  20  and  21  tell  us  that  "Elohim  said,  Let  the 
waters  bring  forth  life-breathing  things  .  .  .  and 
fowl  .  .  .  ;  and  Elohim  formed  the  great  amphibians 


332  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

and  all  life-breathing  things  according  to  their  species,  and 
all  fowl  with  wings." 

This  also  harmonizes  with  the  teaching  of  material  sci- 
ence that  the  amphibians  preceded  the  birds. 

The  student  is  invited  to  note  particularly  that  the 
things  that  were  formed  were  not  Life.  It  does  not  say 
that  Life  was  created,  but  "things"  that  breathe  or  inhale 
life.  .  .  .  The  Hebrew  word  for  that  which  they  in- 
hale is  nephesh,  and  it  should  be  carefully  noted,  as  we 
shall  meet  it  in  a  new  dress  later. 

The  Atlantean  Epoch  is  dealt  with  in  the  work  of  the 
sixth  day.  In  verse  24  the  creation  of  mammals  is  men- 
tioned, and  there  the  word  nephesh  again  occurs,  explain- 
ing that  the  mammals  "breathed  life."  "Elohim  said,  Let 
the  earth  bring  forth  life-breathing  things  .  .  .  mam- 
mals ...  ;"  and  in  verse  27,  "Elohim  formed  man 
in  their  likeness;  male  and  female  made  they  [Elohim] 
them." 

The  Bible  historian  here  omits  the  a-sexual  and 
hermaphrodite  human  stages  and  comes  to  the  two  sepa- 
rate sexes,  as  we  know  them  now.  He  could  not  do  other- 
wise, as  he  is  describing  the  Atlantean  Epoch,  and  by  the 
time  that  stage  in  evolution  was  reached  there  were  neither 
sexless  men  nor  hermaphrodites,  the  differentiation  of  the 
sexes  having  taken  place  earlier — in  the  Lemurian  Epoch. 
That  which  afterward  became  man  could  hardly  be  spoken 
of  as  man  in  the  earlier  stages  of  its  development,  as  it 
differed  but  little  from  the  animals.  Therefore  the  Bible 
narrator  is  doing  no  violence  to  facts  when  he  states  that 
man  was  formed  in  the  Atlantean  Epoch. 

In  verse  28  (all  versions)  will  be  found  a  very  small 
prefix,  with  a  very  great  significance:  "Elohim  said,  Be 
fruitful  and  RE-plenish  the  earth."  This  plainly  shows 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  333 

that  the  scribe  who  wrote  it  was  cognizant  of  the  occult 
teaching  that  the  life  wave  had  evolved  here,  on  Globe  D 
of  the  Earth  Period,  in  previous  Eevolutions. 

The  Aryan  Epoch  corresponds  to  the  seventh  day  of 
Creation,  when  the  Elohim  rested  from  their  labors  as 
Creators  and  Guides,  and  humanity  had  been  launched 
upon  an  independent  career. 

This  ends  the  story  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Forms 
were  produced.  In  the  following  chapter  the  story  is 
told  from  the  point  of  view  which  deals  a  little  more  with 
the  Life  side. 

JEHOVAH  AND  His  MISSION. 

There  has  been  much  learned  discussion  concerning  the 
discrepancy  between,  and  especially  the  authorship  of,  the 
creation  story  of  the  first  chapter  and  that  which  starts  at 
the  fourth  verse  of  the  second  chapter.  It  is  asserted  that 
the  two  accounts  were  written  by  different  men,  because 
the  Being  or  Beings,  the  name  of  Whom  the  translators 
have  rendered  as  "God"  in  both  the  first  and  second  chap- 
ters of  the  English  version,  are,  in  the  Hebrew  text,  called 
"Elohim"  in  the  first  chapter,  and  "Jehovah"  in  the  sec- 
ond chapter.  It  is  argued  that  the  same  narrator  would 
not  have  named  God  in  two  different  ways. 

Had  he  meant  the  same  God  in  both  cases,  he  probably 
would  not,  but  he  was  not  a  monotheist.  He  knew  better 
than  to  think  of  God  as  simply  a  superior  Man,  using  the 
sky  for  a  throne  and  the  earth  for  a  footstool.  When  he 
wrote  of  Jehovah  he  meant  the  Leader  Who  had  charge 
of  the  particular  part  of  the  work  of  Creation  which  was 
then  being  described.  Jehovah  was  and  is  one  of  the  Elo- 
him. He  is  the  Leader  of  the  Angels  who  were  the  human- 
ity of  the  Moon,  and  He  is  Regent  of  our  present  Moon. 


334  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

The  reader  is  referred  to  diagram  14  for  an  accurate  under- 
standing of  the  position  and  constitution  of  Jehovah. 

As  Regent  of  our  Moon,  He  has  charge  of  the  degen- 
erate, evil  Beings  there,  and  He  also  rules  the  Angels. 
With  Him  are  some  of  the  Archangels,  who  were  the  hu- 
manity of  the  Sun.  They  are  called  the  "Race-spirits." 

It  is  the  work  of  Jehovah  to  build  concrete  bodies  or 
forms,  by  means  of  the  hardening,  crystallizing  Moon 
forces.  Therefore  He  is  the  giver  of  children  and  the 
Angels  are  His  messengers  in  this  work.  It  is  well  known 
to  physiologists  that  the  Moon  is  connected  with  gestation ; 
at  least,  they  have  observed  that  it  measures  and  governs 
the  periods  of  intra-uterine  life  and  other  physiological 
functions. 

The  Archangels,  as  Spirits  and  Leaders  of  a  Race,  are 
known  to  fight  for  or  against  a  people,  as  the  exigencies 
of  the  evolution  of  that  Race  demand.  In  Daniel  x:20, 
an  Archangel,  speaking  to  Daniel,  says,  "And  now  will  I 
return  to  fight  with  the  prince  of  Persia:  and  when  I  am 
gone  forth,  lo,  the  prince  of  Grecia  shall  come." 

The  Archangel  Michael  is  the  Race-spirit  of  the  Jews 
(Daniel  xiirl),  but  Jehovah  is  not  the  God  of  the  Jews 
alone;  He  is  the  Author  of  all  Race-religions  which  led  up 
to  Christianity.  Nevertheless,  it  is  true  that  He  did  take 
a  special  interest  in  the  progenitors  of  the  present  degen- 
erate Jews — the  Original  Semites,  the  "seed-race"  for  the 
seven  races  of  the  Aryan  Epoch.  Jehovah,  of  course,  takes 
special  care  of  a  seed-race,  in  which  are  to  be  inculcated 
the  embryonic  faculties  of  the  humanity  of  a  new  Epoch. 
For  that  reason  He  was  particularly  concerned  with  the 
Original  Semites.  They  were  His  "chosen  people" — chosen 
to  be  the  seed  for  a  new  Race,  which  was  to  inherit  the 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  335 

"Promised  Land" — not  merely  insignificant  Palestine,  but 
the  entire  Earth,  as  it  is  at  present. 

He  did  not  lead  them  out  of  Egypt.  That  story  orig- 
inated with  their  descendants  and  is  a  confused  account 
of  their  journey  eastward  through  flood  and  disaster  out 
of  the  doomed  Atlantis  into  the  "wilderness"  (the  Desert 
of  Gobi  in  Central  Asia),  there  to  wander  during  the 
cabalistic  forty  years,  until  they  could  enter  the  Promised 
Land.  There  is  a  double  and  peculiar  significance  to  the 
descriptive  word  "promised"  in  this  connection.  The  land 
was  called  the  "promised  Land"  because,  as  land  or  earth 
suitable  for  human  occupation,  it  did  not  exist  at  the  time 
the  "chosen  people"  were  led  into  the  "wilderness."  Part 
of  the  Earth  had  been  submerged  by  floods  and  other  parts 
changed  by  volcanic  eruptions,  hence  it  was  necessary  that 
a  period  of  time  elapse  before  the  new  Earth  was  in  a 
fit  condition  to  become  the  possession  of  the  Aryan  Race. 

The  Original  Semites  were  set  apart  and  forbidden  to 
marry  into  other  tribes  or  peoples,  but  they  were  a  stiff- 
necked  and  hard  people,  being  yet  led  almost  exclusively 
by  desire  and  cunning,  therefore  they  disobeyed  the  com- 
mand. Their  Bible  records  that  the  sons  of  God  married 
the  daughters  of  man — the  lower  grades  of  their  Atlantean 
compatriots.  They  thus  frustrated  the  designs  of  Jehovah 
and  were  cast  off,  the  fruit  of  such  cross-breeding  being 
useless  as  seed  for  the  coming  Race. 

These  cross-breeds  were  the  progenitors  of  the  present 
Jews,  who  now  speak  of  "lost  tribes."  They  know  that 
some  of  the  original  number  left  them  and  went  another 
way,  but  they  do  not  know  that  those  were  the  few  who 
remained  true.  The  story  of  the  ten  tribes  being  lost  is  a 
fable.  Most  of  them  perished,  but  the  faithful  ones  sur- 


336  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

vived,  and  from  that  faithful  remnant  have  descended  the 
present  Aryan  Eaces. 

The  contention  of  the  opponents  of  the  Bible,  that  it  is  a 
mere  mutilation  of  the  original  writings,  is  cheerfully 
agreed  to  by  occult  science.  Parts  of  it  are  even  conceded 
to  be  entire  fabrications  and  no  attempt  is  made  to  prove 
its  authenticity  as  a  whole,  in  the  form  we  now  have  it. 
The  present  effort  is  simply  an  attempt  to  exhume  a  few 
kernels  of  occult  truth  from  the  bewildering  mass  of  mis- 
leading and  incorrect  interpretations  under  which  they 
have  been  buried  by  the  various  translators  and  revisors. 

INVOLUTION,  EVOLUTION  AND  EPIGENESIS. 

Having  in  the  foregoing  paragraphs  disentangled  from 
the  general  confusion  the  identity  and  mission  of  Jehovah, 
it  may  be  that  we  can  now  find  harmony  in  the  two  seem- 
ingly contradictory  accounts  of  the  creation  of  man,  as 
recorded  in  the  first  and  second  chapters  of  Genesis,  in  the 
first  of  which  it  is  written  that  he  was  the  last,  and  in  the 
second  that  he  was  the  first  created  of  all  living  things. 

We  note  that  the  first  chapter  deals  chiefly  with  the 
creation  of  Form,  the  second  chapter  is  devoted  to  the 
consideration  of  Life,  while  the  fifth  chapter  deals  with 
Consciousness.  The  key  to  the  meaning,  then,  is  that  we 
must  differentiate  sharply  between  the  physical  Form,  and 
the  Life  that  builds  that  Form  for  its  own  expression.  Al- 
though the  order  of  the  creation  of  the  other  kingdoms  is 
not  as  correctly  given  in  the  second  chapter  as  in  the  first, 
it  is  true  that  if  we  consider  man  from  the  Life  side,  he 
was  created  first,  but  if  we  consider  him  from  the  stand- 
point of  Form,  as  is  done  in  the  first  chapter,  he  was 
created  last. 

All  through  the  course  of  evolution — through  Periods, 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  337 

Globes,  Revolutions  and  Races — those  who  do  not  improve 
by  the  formation  of  new  characteristics  are  held  back  and 
immediately  begin  to  degenerate.  Only  that  which  re- 
mains plastic  and  pliable  and  adaptable  for  molding  into 
new  Forms  suitable  for  the  expression  of  the  expanding 
consciousness;  only  the  Life  which  is  capable  of  outgrow- 
ing the  possibilities  for  improvement  inhering  in  the 
forms  it  ensouls,  can  evolve  with  the  pioneers  of  any  life 
wave.  All  else  must  straggle  on  behind. 

This  is  the  kernel  of  the  occult  teaching.  Progress  is 
not  simply  unfoldment;  not  simply  Involution  and  Evolu- 
tion. There  is  a  third  factor,  making  a  triad — Involution, 
Evolution,  and — Epigenesis. 

The  first  two  words  are  familiar  to  all  who  have  studied 
Life  and  Form,  but  while  it  is  generally  admitted  that  the 
involution  of  spirit  into  matter  takes  place  in  order  that 
Form  may  be  built,  it  is  not  so  commonly  recognized  that 
the  Involution  of  Spirit  runs  side  by  side  with  the  Evolu- 
tion of  Form. 

From  the  very  beginning  of  the  Saturn  Period  up  to  the 
time  in  the  Atlantean  Epoch  when  "man's  eyes  were 
opened"  by  the  Lucifer  Spirits,  and  as  a  consequence  the 
activities  of  man — or  the  Life-force  which  has  become  man 
— were  chiefly  directed  inward ;  that  very  same  force  which 
he  now  sends  out  from  himself  to  build  railways,  steam- 
boats, etc.,  was  used  internally  in  building  a  vehicle  through 
which  to  manifest  himself.  This  vehicle  is  threefold,  like 
the  spirit  which  built  it. 

The  same  power  by  which  man  is  now  improving  outside 
conditions  was  used  during  Involution  for  purposes  of  in- 
ternal growth. 

The  Form  was  built  by  Evolution;  the  Spirit  built  and 


338  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

entered  it  by  Involution;  but  the  means  for  devising  im- 
provements is  Epigenesis. 

There  is  a  strong  tendency  to  regard  all  that  is,  as  the 
result  of  something  that  has  been;  all  improvements  on 
previously  existing  forms,  as  being  present  in  all  forms 
as  latencies;  to  regard  Evolution  as  simply  the  unfolding 
of  germinal  improvements.  Such  a  conception  excludes 
Epigenesis  from  the  scheme  of  things.  It  allows  no  possi- 
bility for  the  building  of  anything  new,  no  scope  for  orig- 
inality. 

The  occultist  believes  the  purpose  of  evolution  to  be  the 
development  of  man  from  a  static  to  a  dynamic  God — a 
Creator.  If  the  development  he  is  at  present  undergoing 
is  to  be  his  education  and  if,  during  its  progress,  he  is 
simply  unfolding  latent  actualities,  where  does  he  learn 
to  CREATE? 

If  man's  development  consists  solely  in  learning  to  build 
better  and  better  Forms,  according  to  models  already  exist- 
ing in  his  Creator's  mind,  he  can  become,  at  best,  only  a 
good  imitator — never  a  creator. 

In  order  that  he  may  become  an  independent,  original 
Creator,  it  is  necessary  that  his  training  should  include 
sufficient  latitude  for  the  exercise  of  the  individual  orig- 
inality which  distinguishes  creation  from  imitation.  So 
long  as  certain  features  of  the  old  Form  meet  the  require- 
ments of  progression  they  are  retained,  but  at  each  re- 
incarnation the  evolving  Life  adds  such  original  improve- 
ments as  are  necessary  for  its  further  expression. 

The  pioneers  of  science  are  constantly  brought  face  to 
face  with  Epigenesis  as  a  fact  in  all  departments  of 
nature.  As  early  as  1759,  Caspar  Wohf  published  his 
"Theoria  Generationis,"  in  which  he  shows  that  in  the 
human  ovum  there  is  absolutely  no  trace  of  the  coming 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  339 

organism ;  that  its  evolution  consists  of  the  addition  of  new 
formations;  a  building  of  something  which  is  not  latent 
in  the  ovum. 

Haeckel  (that  great  and  fearless  student  of  nature  as  he 
sees  it,  and  very  near  to  knowledge  of  the  complete  truth 
regarding  evolution)  says  of  the  "Theoria  Generations" : 
"Despite  its  small  compass  and  difficult  terminology,  it  is 
one  of  the  most  valuable  works  in  the  whole  literature  of 
biology." 

Haeckel's  own  views  we  find  thus  stated  in  his  '' An- 
thropogenic" :  "Nowadays  we  are  hardly  justified  in  call- 
ing Epigenesis  an  hypothesis,  as  we  have  fully  convinced 
ourselves  of  its  being  a  FACT  and  are  able  at  any  moment 
to  demonstrate  it  by  the  help  of  the  microscope." 

A  builder  would  be  but  a  sorry  craftsman  were  his  abili- 
ties limited  to  the  building  of  houses  after  only  one  par- 
ticular model,  which,  during  his  apprenticeship,  his  master 
had  taught  him  to  imitate,  but  which  he  is  unable  to  alter 
to  meet  new  requirements.  To  be  successful  he  must  be 
capable  of  designing  new  and  better  houses,  improving 
that  which  experience  teaches  was  not  serviceable  in  the 
earlier  buildings.  The  same  force  which  the  builder  now 
directs  outward  to  build  houses  better  adapted  to  new 
conditions  was  used  in  past  Periods  to  build  new  and  bet- 
ter vehicles  for  the  evolution  of  the  Ego. 

Starting  with  the  simplest  organisms,  the  Life  which  is 
now  Man  built  the  Form  to  suit  its  necessities.  In  due 
time,  as  the  entity  progressed,  it  became  evident  that  new 
improvements  must  be  added  which  conflicted  with  the 
lines  previously  followed.  A  new  start  must  be  given  it  in 
a  new  species,  where  it  could  retrieve  any  previous  mis- 
takes which  experience  taught  would  preclude  further  de- 
velopment if  the  old  lines  were  adhered  to,  and  thus  the 


340  EOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

evolving  life  would  be  enabled  to  progress  further  in  a 
new  species.  When  later  experience  proved  that  the  new 
form  also  was  inadequate,  inasmuch  as  it  could  not  adapt 
itself  to  some  improvement  necessary  to  the  progress  of  the 
evolving  life,  it  too  was  discarded  and  still  another  de- 
parture made,  in  a  form  adaptable  to  the  necessary  im- 
provement. 

Thus  by  successive  steps  does  the  evolving  Life  improve 
its  vehicles,  and  the  improvement  is  still  going  on.  Man, 
who  is  in  the  vanguard  of  progress,  has  built  his  bodies, 
from  the  similitude  of  the  amceba  up  to  the  human  form 
of  the  savage,  and  from  that  up  through  the  various  grades 
until  the  most  advanced  races  are  now  using  the  best  and 
most  highly  organized  bodies  on  Earth.  Between  deaths 
and  rebirths  we  are  constantly  building  bodies  in  which  to 
function  during  our  lives  and  a  far  greater  degree  of  ef- 
ficiency than  the  present  will  yet  be  reached.  If  we  make 
mistakes  in  building  between  incarnations,  they  become 
evident  when  we  are  using  the  body  in  Earth-life,  and  it  is 
well  for  us  if  we  are  able  to  perceive  and  realize  our  mis- 
takes, that  we  may  avoid  making  them  afresh  life  after 
life. 

But  just  as  the  builder  of  houses  would  lag  commercially 
if  he  did  not  constantly  improve  his  methods  to  meet  the 
exigencies  of  his  business,  so  those  who  persistently  adhere 
to  the  old  forms  fail  to  rise  above  the  species  and  are  left 
behind,  as  stragglers.  These  stragglers  take  the  forms 
outgrown  by  the  pioneers,  as  previously  explained,  and  they 
compose  the  lower  Eaces  and  species  of  any  kingdom  in 
which  they  are  evolving.  As  the  Life  which  is  now  Man 
passed  through  stages  analagous  to  the  mineral,  plant,  and 
animal  kingdoms  and  through  the  lower  human  Eaces, 
stragglers  were  left  all  along  the  way  who  had  failed  to 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  341 

reach  the  necessary  standard  to  keep  abreast  of  the  crest- 
wave  of  evolution.  They  took  the  discarded  Forms  of  the 
pioneers  and  used  them  as  stepping-stones,  by  means  of 
which  they  tried  to  overtake  the  others,  but  the  advanced 
Forms  did  not  stand  still.  In  the  progress  of  Evolution 
there  is  no  halting-place.  In  evolving  Life,  as  in  com- 
merce, there  is  no  such  thing  as  merely  "holding  your 
own."  Progression  or  Retrogression  is  the  Law.  The 
Form  that  is  not  capable  of  further  improvement  must 
Degenerate. 

Therefore  there  is  one  line  of  improving  forms  ensouled 
by  the  pioneers  of  the  evolving  Life,  and  another  line  of 
degenerating  forms,  outgrown  by  the  pioneers,  but  en- 
souled by  the  stragglers,  as  long  as  there  are  any  strag- 
glers of  that  particular  life  wave  to  which  those  forms 
originally  belonged. 

When  there  are  no  more  stragglers,  the  species  gradually 
dies  out.  The  Forms  have  been  crystallized  beyond  the 
possibility  of  being  improved  by  tenants  of  increasing  in- 
ability. They  therefore  return  to  the  mineral  kingdom, 
fossilize  and  are  added  to  the  different  strata  of  the  Earth's 
crust. 

The  assertion  of  material  science  that  man  has  ascended 
through  the  different  kingdoms  of  plant  and  animal  which 
exist  about  us  now  to  anthropoid  and  thence  to  man,  is  not 
quite  correct.  Man  has  never  inhabited  forms  identical 
with  those  of  our  present-day  animals,  nor  the  present-day 
anthropoid  species ;  but  he  has  inhabited  forms  which  were 
similar  to  but  higher  than  those  of  the  present  anthropoids. 

The  scientist  sees  that  there  is  an  anatomical  likeness 
between  man  and  the  monkey,  and  as  the  evolutionary  im- 
pulse always  makes  for  improvement,  he  concludes  that  man 
must  have  descended  from  the  monkey,  but  he  is  always 


342  ftOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

baffled  in  his  efforts  to  find  the  "missing  link"  connecting 
the  two. 

From  the  point  where  the  pioneers  of  our  life  wave  (The 
Aryan  Races)  occupied  ape-like  forms,  they  have  progressed 
to  their  present  stage  of  development,  while  the  Forms 
(which  were  the  "missing  link")  have  degenerated  and  are 
now  ensouled  by  the  last  stragglers  of  the  Saturn  Period. 

The  lower  monkeys,  instead  of  being  the  progenitors  of 
the  higher  species,  are  stragglers  occupying  the  most  de- 
generated specimens  of  what  was  once  the  human  form. 
Instead  of  man  having  ascended  from  the  anthropoids,  the 
reverse  is  true — the  anthropoids  have  degenerated  from 
man.  Material  science,  dealing  only  with  Form,  has  thus 
misled  itself  and  drawn  erroneous  conclusions  in  this  mat- 
ter. 

The  same  relative  conditions  are  to  be  found  in  the  ani- 
mal kingdom.  The  pioneers  of  the  life  wave  which  en- 
tered evolution  in  the  Sun  Period  are  our  present-day 
mammals.  The  different  grades  correspond  to  the  steps 
once  taken  by  man,  but  the  forms  are  all  degenerating 
under  the  management  of  the  stragglers.  Similarly,  the 
pioneers  of  the  life  wave  which  entered  evolution  in  the 
Moon  Period  are  found  among  the  fruit  trees,  while  the 
stragglers  of  that  life  wave  ensoul  all  other  plant-forms. 

Each  life  wave,  however,  remains  definitely  confined 
within  its  own  borders.  The  anthropoids  may  overtake  us 
and  become  human  beings,  but  no  other  animals  will  reach 
our  particular  point  of  development.  They  will  reach  a 
similar  stage,  but  under  different  conditions,  in  the  Jupiter 
Period.  The  present  plants  will  be  the  humanity  of  the 
Venus  Period,  under  a  still  greater  difference  of  condition, 
and  our  minerals  will  reach  the  human  stage  under  the 
conditions  of  the  A7ulcan  Period. 


OCCULT   ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  343 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  modern  evolutionary  theory, 
particularly  that  of  Haeckel,  would,  if  it  were  completely 
reversed,  be  in  almost  perfect  accord  with  the  knowledge 
of  occult  science. 

The  monkey  has  degenerated  from  the  man. 

The  polyps  are  the  last  degeneration  left  behind  by  the 
mammals. 

The  mosses  are  the  lowest  degenerations  of  the  plant 
kingdom. 

The  mineral  kingdom  is  the  final  goal  of  the  forms 
of  all  the  kingdoms  when  they  have  reached  the  acme 
of  degeneration. 

A  corroboration  of  this  is  found  in  coal,  which  was  once 
vegetable  or  plant  forms;  also  in  petrified  wood  and  fos- 
silized remains  of  various  animal  forms.  Common  stone 
or  rock,  which  no  scientist  would  admit  had  its  origin  in 
another  kingdom,  is  to  the  occult  investigator  as  truly 
mineralized  plants  as  coal  itself.  The  mineralogist  will 
learnedly  explain  that  it  is  composed  of  hornblende,  feld- 
spar and  mica,  but  the  trained  clairvoyant,  who  can  trace 
it  back  in  the  memory  of  Nature,  through  millions  of  years, 
can  supplement  that  statement  by  adding :  Yes,  and  that 
which  you  call  hornblende  and  feldspar  are  the  leaves  and 
stems  of  prehistoric  flowers,  and  the  mica  is  all  that  remains 
of  their  petals. 

The  occult  teaching  of  evolution  is  also  corroborated 
by  the  science  of  embryology  in  the  ante-natal  recapitula- 
tion of  all  past  stages  of  development.  The  difference  be- 
tween the  ovum  of  a  human  being  and  of  some  of  the  higher 
mammals,  and  even  of  the  higher  developments  in  the  plant 
kingdom,  is  indistinguishable,  even  under  the  microscope. 
Experts  are  unable  to  tell  which  is  animal  and  which  is 
human.  Even  after  several  of  the  initial  ante-natal  stages 


344  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

have  been  passed  through  the  experts  cannot  differentiate 
between  animal  and  human  embryo. 

But  if  the  animal  ovum  is  studied  through  the  entire 
period  of  gestation,  it  will  be  observed  that  it  passes 
through  the  mineral  and  plant  stages  only,  and  is  born 
when  it  reaches  the  animal  stage.  This  is  because  the 
Life  ensouling  such  an  ovum  passed  through  its  mineral 
'  evolution  in  the  Sun  Period,  its  plant  life  in  the  Moon 
Period,  and  is  now  forced  to  stop  at  the  animal  stage  in 
-the  Earth  Period. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Life  which  uses  the  human  ovum 
had  its  mineral  existence  in  the  Saturn  Period,  its  plant 
existence  in  the  Sun  Period,  passed  the  animal  stage  in  the 
Moon  Period,  has  still  some  scope  for  Epigenesis  after  it 
has  reached  the  animal  stage  and  therefore  goes  on  to  the 
human — nor  does  it  stop  there.  The  father  and  mother 
give  the  substance  of  their  bodies  for  the  building  of  the 
child's  body,  but,  particularly  in  the  higher  races,  Epi- 
genesis makes  it  possible  to  add  something  which  makes 
the  child  different  from  the  parents. 

Where  Epigenesis  is  inactive  in  the  individual,  family, 
nation  or  Eace — there  evolution  ceases  and  denegeration 
commences. 

A  LIVING  SOUL? 

Thus  the  two  Creation  stories  harmonize  very  well. 

One  deals  with  Form,  which  was  built  up  through  min- 
eral, plant  and  animal  and  reached  the  human  last. 

The  other  tells  us  that  the  Life  which  now  ensouls  human 
forms  was  manifested  anterior  to  the  Life  which  ensouls 
the  forms  of  the  other  kingdoms. 

One  of  these  accounts  of  Creation  would  not  have  been 
sufficient.  There  are  important  particulars  hidden  behind 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  345 

the  narrative  of  man's  creation,  in  the  second  chapter; 
the  verse  reads:  "Then  Jehovah  formed  man  from  the 
dust  of  the  Earth,  and  blew  into  his  nostrils  the  breath 
[ncphesh],  and  man  became  a  breathing  creature  [nephesh 
chayim}" 

In  other  places  in  the  King  James  version  nephesh  is 
translated  "life,"  but  in  this  particular  instance  (Gen.  ii:7) 
it  is  rendered  "living  soul,"  thus  conveying  the  idea  that 
there  was  a  distinction  made  between  the  life  that  ensouled 
the  human  form  and  that  which  ensouled  inferior  creations. 
There  is  no  authority  whatever  for  this  difference  in  trans- 
lation, which  is  purely  arbitrary.  The  life-breath 
(nephesh)  is  the  same  in  man  and  beast.  This  can  be 
shown  even  to  those  who  stand  firmly  upon  the  Bible  as 
authority,  for  even  the  King  James  version  distinctly  states 
(Eccles.  iii:19,  20)  :  "...  as  the  one  dieth,  so  dieth 
the  other ;  yea,  they  all  have  one  breath  [nephesh]  ;  so  that 
a  man  hath  no  pre-eminence  above  a  beast:  .  .  .  All 
go  unto  one  place." 

The  animals  are  but  our  "younger  brothers,"  and  though 
they  are  not  now  so  finely  organized,  they  will  eventually 
reach  a  state  as  high  as  our  own,  and  we  shall  then  have 
ascended  still  higher. 

If  it  is  contended  that  man  received  his  soul  in  the  way 
described  in  this  seventh  verse  of  the  second  chapter  of 
Genesis,  and  that  he  could  have  received  it  in  no  other 
way,  it  is  pertinent  to  ask  where  and  how  woman  received 
her  soul? 

The  meaning  of  the  chapter,  and  of  the  inspiration  of 
the  breath  of  life  by  Jehovah,  is  very  plain  and  clear  when 
we  use  the  occult  key,  and  it  has  the  further  and  immense 
advantage  of  being  logical. 

The  fact  that  the  Regent  of  the  Moon  (Jehovah),  with 


346  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

His  Angels  and  Archangels,  were  the  principals  in  this 
action  fixes  the  time  when  this  creation  occurred.  It  was 
between  the  early  and  the  middle  parts  of  the  Lemurian 
Epoch,  and  must  have  been  after  the  Moon  was  thrown 
out  from  the  Earth,  because  Jehovah  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  generation  of  bodies  before  the  Moon  was  thrown 
off.  The  forms  were  then  more  ethereal.  There  were  no 
dense  and  concrete  bodies.  It  is  possible  to  make  such 
bodies  only  by  means  of  the  hardening  and  crystallizing 
Moon-forces.  It  must  have  been  in  the  first  half  of  the 
Lemurian  Epoch,  because  the  separation  of  the  sexes, 
which  is  recorded  later,  took  place  in  the  middle  of  that 
epoch. 

At  that  time  man-in-the-making  had  not  yet  commenced 
to  breathe  by  means  of  lungs.  He  had  the  gill-like  ap- 
paratus still  present  in  the  human  embryo  while  passing 
through  the  stage  of  ante-natal  life  corresponding  to  that 
Epoch.  He  had  no  warm,  red  blood,  for  at  that  stage  there 
Was  no  individual  spirit,  the  entire  form  was  soft  and 
pliable  and  the  skeleton  soft  like  cartilage.  Before  the 
later  date,  when  it  became  necessary  to  separate  humanity 
into  sexes,  the  skeleton  had  grown  firm  and  solid. 

The  work  done  by  Jehovah  was  to  build  dense,  hard  bone 
substance  into  the  soft  bodies  already  existing.  Previous 
to  this  time,  i.  e.,  during  the  Polarian  and  Hyperborean 
Epochs,  neither  animal  nor  man  had  bones. 

ADAM'S  RIB. 

The  grotesque  and  impossible  manner  in  which  the  sep- 
aration of  the  sexes  is  said  to  have  been  accomplished  (as 
described  in  the  common  versions  of  the  Bible  and,  in  this 
particular  case,  in  the  Masoretic  text  also)  is  another  ex- 
ample of  what  may  be  done  by  changing  vowels  in  the  old 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  347 

Hebrew  text.  Read  in  one  way,  the  word  is  "rib";  but  in 
another,  which  has  at  least  as  good  a  claim  to  considera- 
tion, with  the  additional  advantage  of  being  common-sense, 
it  reads  "side."  If  we  interpret  this  to  mean  that  man 
was  male-female  and  that  Jehovah  caused  one  side  or  sex 
in  each  being  to  remain  latent,  we  shall  not  be  doing  vio- 
lence to  our  reason,  as  we  would  by  accepting  the  "rib" 
story. 

When  this  alteration  is  made,  the  occult  teaching  as 
previously  given  harmonizes  with  that  of  the  Bible  and  both 
agree  with  the  teaching  of  modern  science  that  man  was 
bi-sexual  at  one  time,  before  he  developed  one  sex  at  the 
expense  of  the  other.  In  corroboration  of  this,  it  is  pointed 
out  that  the  foetus  is  bi-sexual  up  to  a  certain  point ;  there- 
after one  sex  predominates,  while  the  other  remains  in 
abeyance,  so  that  each  person  still  has  the  opposite  sex- 
organs  in  a  rudimentary  form  and  therefore  is  really  bi- 
sexual, as  was  primitive  man. 

Apparently  the  Bible  narrator  does  not  wish  to  give,  in 
this  second  creation  account,  an  accurate  picture  of  the 
whole  of  evolution,  but  rather  to  particularize  a  little  more 
what  was  said  in  the  first  chapter.  He  tells  us  that  man 
did  not  always  breathe  as  he  does  now;  that  there  was  a 
time  when  he  was  not  separated  into  sexes ;  and  that  it  was 
Jehovah  Who  effected  the  change,  thus  fixing  the  time  of 
the  occurrence.  As  we  proceed,  it  will  be  found  that  much 
further  information  is  given. 

GUARDIAN  ANGELS. 

During  the  earlier  Epochs  and  Periods  the  great  creative 
Hierarchies  had  worked  upon  humanity  as  it  was  uncon- 
sciously evolving.  There  had  been  only  one  common  con- 


348  KOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

sciousness  among  ALL  human  beings;  one  group-spirit 
for  all  mankind,  as  it  were. 

In  the  Lemurian  Epoch  a  new  step  was  taken.  Bodies 
had  been  definitely  formed,  but  they  must  have  warm,  red 
blood  before  they  could  be  ensouled  and  become  the  abode 
of  indwelling  spirits. 

In  nature  no  process  is  sudden.  We  would  get  a  wrong 
idea  were  we  to  imagine  that  air  blown  into  the  nostrils 
could  put  a  soul  into  an  image  of  clay  and  galvanize  it  into 
life  as  a  sentient,  thinking  being. 

The  individual  spirit  was  very  weak  and  impotent  and 
quite  unfitted  for  the  task  of  guiding  its  dense  vehicle. 
In  that  respect  it  is  not  yet  very  strong.  To  any  qualified 
observer,  it  is  evident  that  the  desire  body  rules  the  per- 
sonality more  than  does  the  spirit,  even  at  our  present 
stage  of  advancement.  But  in  the  middle  of  the  Lemurian 
Epoch,  when  the  lower  personality — the  threefold  body — 
was  to  be  endowed  with  the  light  of  the  Ego,  the  latter, 
if  left  to  itself,  would  have  been  absolutely  powerless  to 
guide  its  instrument. 

Therefore  it  was  necessary  for  someone  much  more  highly 
evolved  to  help  the  individual  spirit  and  gradually  prepare 
the  way  for  its  complete  union  with  its  instruments.  It 
was  analogous  to  a  new  nation,  over  which,  until  it  be- 
comes capable  of  forming  a  stable  government  for  itself, 
some  stronger  power  establishes  a  protectorate,  guarding  it 
alike  from  external  dangers  and  internal  indiscretions. 
Such  a  protectorate  was  exercised  over  evolving  humanity 
by  the  Race-spirit,  and  is  exercised  over  the  animals  by  the 
group-spirit,  in  a  somewhat  different  way. 

Jehovah  is  the  Most  High.  He  is  Race-God,  as  one 
might  express  it,  having  dominion  over  all  Form.  He  is 
the  Chief  Ruler  and  the  highest  Power  in  maintaining  the 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OP  GENESIS  34.9 

form  and  exercising  an  orderly  government  over  it.  The 
Archangels  are  the  Race-spirits,  each  having  dominion 
over  a  certain  group  of  people.  They  also  have  dominion 
over  animals,  while  the  Angels  have  dominion  over  the 
plants. 

The  Archangels  have  dominion  over  races  or  groups  of 
people  and  also  over  the  animals,  for  these  two  kingdoms 
have  desire  bodies  and  the  Archangels  are  expert  architects 
of  desire  matter,  because  in  the  Sun  Period  the  densest 
globe  was  composed  of  that  material,  and  the  humanity  of 
that  period,  who  are  now  Archangels,  learned  to  build  their 
densest  vehicles  of  desire  stuff  as  we  are  now  learning  to 
build  our  bodies  of  the  chemical  elements  whereof  our 
Earth-globe  is  composed.  Thus  it  will  be  readily  under- 
stood that  the  Archangels  are  peculiarly  qualified  to  help 
later  life  waves  through  the  stage  where  they  learn  to 
build  and  control  a  desire  body. 

For  analogous  reasons  the  Angels  work  in  the  vital 
bodies  of  man,  animal  and  plant.  Their  densest  bodies 
are  composed  of  ether  and  so  was  the  Globe  D  in  the  Moon 
Period  when  they  were  human. 

Jehovah  and  His  Archangels,  therefore,  hold  a  similar 
relation  to  Races  that  the  group-spirit  does  to  animals. 
When  individual  members  of  a  Race  have  evolved  entire 
self-control  and  government,  they  are  emancipated  from 
the  influence  of  the  Race-spirit  and  kindred  beings. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  point  of  vantage  of  the  group-spirit, 
as  of  any  Ego  in  the  dense  body,  is  in  the  blood.  The 
Masoretic  text  shows  that  this  knowledge  was  possessed  by 
the  writer  of  Leviticus.  In  the  fourteenth  verse  of  the 
seventeenth  chapter  the  Jews  are  prohibited  from  eating 
blood  because  "...  the  soul  of  all  flesh  is  in  the 
blood  ;"  and  in  the  eleventh  verse  of  the  same 


350  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

chapter  we  find  these  words:  "...  for  the  soul  of 
the  flesh  is  in  the  blood  .  .  .  the  blood  itself  mediates 
for  the  soul/'  which  shows  that  this  applies  to  both  man 
and  beast,  for  the  word  here  used  in  the  Hebrew  is 
neshamah  and  means  "soul" — not  "life/'  as  it  is  rendered 
in  the  King  James  version. 

The  Ego  works  directly  through  the  blood.  The  Race- 
spirit  guides  the  Races  by  working  in  the  blood,  as  the 
group-spirit  guides  the  animals  of  its  species  through  the 
blood.  So  also  does  the  Ego  control  its  own  vehicle,  but 
with  a  difference. 

The  Ego  operates  by  means  of  the  heat  of  the  blood, 
while  the  Race  (i.  e.,  tribal,  or  family)  spirit  works  by 
means  of  the  air,  as  it  is  drawn  into  the  lungs.  That  is 
why  Jehovah,  or  His  messengers,  "breathed  into  man's 
nostrils,"  thereby  securing  admission  for  the  Race-spirit, 
Community-spirits,  etc. 

The  different  classes  of  Race-spirits  guided  their  peoples 
to  various  climates  and  different  parts  of  the  Earth.  To 
the  trained  clairvoyant,  a  tribal-spirit  appears  as  a  cloud 
enveloping  and  permeating  the  atmosphere  of  the  whole 
country  inhabited  by  the  people  under  its  dominion.  Thus 
are  produced  the  different  peoples  and  nations.  Paul  spoke 
of  "The  Prince  of  the  Power  of  the  Air" ;  of  "principalities 
and  powers,"  etc.,  showing  that  he  knew  of  the  Race-spirits, 
but  now  not  even  an  attempt  is  made  to  understand  what 
they  mean,  although  their  influence  is  strongly  felt.  Patriot- 
ism is  one  of  the  sentiments  emanating  from  and  fostered 
by  them.  It  has  not  now  so  much  power  over  people  as 
formerly.  There  are  some  who  are  being  liberated  from 
the  Race-spirit  and  can  say  with  Thomas  Paine,  "The 
world  is  my  country."  There  are  those  who  can  leave 
father  and  mother  and  look  upon  all  men  as  brothers. 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  351 

They  are  being  liberated  from  the  Family-spirit,  or  spirit 
of  the  Clan,  which  is  different  from  the  race-spirit,  an 
etheric  entity.  Others  again,  who  are  deep  in  the  toils  of 
the  Eace-  or  Family-spirit,  will  suffer  the  most  dreadful 
depression  if  they  leave  home  or  country  and  breathe  the 
air  of  another  Eace-  or  Family-spirit. 

At  the  time  the  Eace-spirit  entered  human  bodies  the 
individualized  Ego  commenced  to  get  some  slight  control 
of  its  vehicles.  Each  human  entity  became  more  and  more 
conscious  of  being  separate  and  distinct  from  other  men, 
yet  for  ages  he  did  not  think  of  himself  primarily  as  an 
individual,  but  as  belonging  to  a  tribe  or  a  family.  The 
affix  "son"  to  many  present-day  surnames  is  a  remnant  of 
this  feeling.  A  man  was  not  simply  "John/'  or  "James." 
He  was  John  Bobertson,  or  James  Williamson.  In  some 
countries  a  woman  was  not  "Mary,"  or  "Martha."  She  was 
Mary  Marthasdaughter,  Martha  Marysdaughter.  This  cus- 
tom was  continued  in  some  European  countries  until  with- 
in a  few  generations  of  the  present  time;  the  "son"  affix 
remains  with  us  yet  and  the  family  name  is  still  much 
honored. 

Among  the  Jews,  even  down  to  the  time  of  Christ,  the 
Eace-spirit  was  stronger  than  the  individual  spirit.  Every 
Jew  thought  of  himself  first  as  belonging  to  a  certain  tribe 
or  family.  His  proudest  boast  was  that  he  was  of  the 
"Seed  of  Abraham."  All  this  was  the  work  of  the  Eace- 
spirit. 

Previous  to  the  advent  of  Jehovah,  when  the  Earth  was 
yet  a  part  of  the  Sun,  there  was  one  common  group-spirit, 
composed  of  all  the  creative  Hierarchies,  which  controlled 
the  entire  human  family,  but  it  was  intended  that  each 
body  should  be  the  temple  and  pliable  instrument  of  an  in- 


352  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

dwelling  spirit  and  that  meant  an  infinite   division  of 
rulership. 

Jehovah  came  with  His  Angels  and  Archangels  and  made 
the  first  great  division  into  Races,  giving  to  each  group  the 
guiding  influence  of  a  Race-spirit — an  Archangel.  For 
each  Ego  He  appointed  one  of  the  Angels  to  act  as  guardian 
until  the  individual  spirit  had  grown  strong  enough  to  be- 
come emancipated  from  all  outside  influence. 

MIXING  BLOOD  IN  MARRIAGE. 

Christ  came  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  emancipation 
of  humanity  from  the  guidance  of  the  differentiating  Race- 
and  Family-spirit,  and  to  unite  the  whole  human  family 
in  One  Universal  Brotherhood. 

He  taught  that  "Abraham's  seed"  referred  to  the  bodies 
only,  and  called  their  attention  to  the  fact  that  before 
Abraham  lived  [the]  "I" — the  Ego — was  in  existence.  The 
threefold  individual  spirit  had  its  being  before  all  Tribes 
and  Races  and  it  will  remain  when  they  have  passed  away 
and  even  the  memory  of  them  is  no  more. 

The  threefold  spirit  in  man,  the  Ego,  is  the  God  within, 
whom  the  personal,  bodily  man  must  learn  to  follow. 
Therefore  did  Christ  say  that,  to  be  His  disciple,  a  man 
must  forsake  all  that  he  had.  His  teaching  points  to  the 
emancipation  of  the  God  within.  He  calls  upon  man  to 
exercise  his  prerogative  as  an  individual  and  rise  above 
family,  tribe,  and  nation.  Not  that  he  is  to  disregard  kin 
and  country.  He  must  fulfill  all  duties,  but  he  is  to  cease 
identifying  himself  with  part  and  must  recognize  an  equat 
kinship  with  all  the  world.  That  is  the  ideal  given  to 
mankind  by  the  Christ. 

Under  the  rule  of  the  Race-spirit,  the  nation,  tribe  or 
family  was  considered  first — the  individual  last.  The  fain- 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  353 

ily  must  be  kept  intact.  If  any  man  died  -without  leaving 
offspring  to  perpetuate  his  name,  his  brother  must  "carry 
seed"  to  the  widow,  that  there  might  be  no  dying  out  (Deu. 
xxv:5-10).  Marrying  out  of  the  family  was  regarded 
with  horror  in  the  earliest  times.  A  member  of  one  tribe 
could  not  become  connected  with  another  without  losing 
caste  in  his  own.  It  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  become  a 
member  of  another  family.  Not  only  among  the  Jews 
and  other  early  nations  was  the  integrity  of  the  family 
insisted  upon,  but  also  in  more  modern  times.  As  previ- 
ously mentioned,  the  Scots,  even  in  comparatively  recent 
times,  clung  tenaciously  to  their  Clan,  and  the  old  Norse 
Vikings  would  take  no  one  into  their  families  without 
first  "mixing  blood"  with  him,  for  the  spiritual  effects  of 
haemolysis,  which  are  unknown  to  material  science,  were 
known  of  old. 

All  these  customs  resulted  from  the  working  of  the  Race- 
and  tribal-spirit  in  the  common  blood.  To  admit  as  a  mem- 
ber one  in  whom  that  common  blood  did  not  flow  would 
have  caused  "confusion  of  caste."  The  closer  the  inbreed- 
ing, the  greater  the  power  of  the  Race-spirit,  and  the 
stronger  the  ties  that  bound  the  individual  to  the  tribe, 
because  the  vital  force  of  the  man  is  in  his  blood.  Mem- 
ory is  intimately  connected  with  the  blood,  which  is  the 
highest  expression  of  the  vital  body. 

The  brain  and  the  nervous  system  are  the  highest  ex- 
pressions of  the  desire  body.  They  call  up  pictures  of  the 
outside  world,  but  in  mental  image-making,  i.  e.,  imagina- 
tion, the  blood  brings  the  material  for  the  pictures;  there- 
fore when  the  thought  is  active  the  blood  flows  to  the 
head. 

When  the  same  unmixed  strain  of  blood  flows  in  the 
veins  of  a  family  for  generations,  the  same  mental  pictures 


354  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

i 

made  by  great-grandfather,  grandfather  and  father  are  re- 
produced in  the  son  by  the  family-spirit  which  lived  in  the 
haemaglobin  of  the  blood.  He  sees  himself  as  the  continu- 
ation of  a  long  line  of  ancestors  who  live  in  him.  He  sees 
all  the  events  of  the  past  lives  of  the  family  as  though  he 
had  been  present,  therefore  he  does  not  realize  himself  as 
an  Ego.  He  is  not  simply  "David,"  but  "the  son  of  Abra- 
ham"; not  "Joseph,"  but  "the  son  of  David." 

By  means  of  this  common  blood  men  are  said  to  have 
lived  for  many  generations,  because  through  the  blood  their 
descendants  had  access  to  the  memory  of  nature,  in  which 
the  records  of  the  lives  of  their  ancestors  were  preserved. 
That  is  why,  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  Genesis,  it  is  stated 
that  the  patriarchs  lived  for  centuries.  Adam,  Methuselah 
and  the  other  patriarchs  did  not  personally  attain  to  such 
great  age,  but  they  lived  in  the  consciousness  of  their  de- 
scendants, who  saw  the  lives  of  their  ancestors  as  if  they 
had  lived  them.  After  the  expiration  of  the  period  stated, 
the  descendants  did  not  think  of  themselves  as  Adam  or 
Methuselah.  Memory  of  those  ancestors  faded  and  so  it 
is  said  they  died. 

The  "second  sight"  of  the  Scotch  Highlanders  shows 
that  by  means  of  endogamy  the  consciousness  of  the  inner 
Worlds  is  retained.  They  have  practiced  marrying  in  the 
Clan  until  recent  times ;  also  in  Gipsies,  who  always  marry 
in  the  tribe.  The  smaller  the  tribe  and  the  closer  the  in- 
breeding, the  more  pronounced  is  the  "sight." 

The  earlier  Races  would  not  have  dared  to  disobey  the 
injunction  issued  by  the  tribal  God,  not  to  marry  outside 
of  the  tribe,  nor  had  they  any  inclination  to  do  so,  for 
they  had  no  mind  of  their  own. 

The  Original  Semites  were  the  first  to  evolve  Will,  and 
they  at  once  married  the  daughters  of  the  men  of  other 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  355 

tribes,  frustrating  temporarily  the  design  of  their  Race- 
spirit  and  being  promptly  ejected  as  evil-doers  who  had 
"gone  a-whoring  after  strange  gods,"  thereby  rendering 
themselves  unfit  to  give  the  "seed"  for  the  seven  Races  of 
our  present  Aryan  Epoch.  The  Original  Semites  were,  for 
the  time  being,  the  last  Race  that  the  Race-spirit  cared  to 
keep  separate. 

Later,  man  was  given  free  will.  The  time  had  come 
when  he  was  to  be  prepared  for  individualization.  The 
former  "common"  consciousness,  the  involuntary  clairvoy- 
ance or  second-sight  which  constantly  held  before  a  tribes- 
man the  pictures  of  his  ancestors'  lives  and  caused  him 
to  feel  most  closely  identified  with  the  tribe  or  family, 
was  to  be  replaced  for  a  time  by  a  strictly  individual  con- 
sciousness confined  to  the  material  world,  so  as  to  break 
up  the  nations  into  individuals,  that  the  Brotherhood  of 
Man  regardless  of  exterior  circumstances  may  become  a 
fact.  This  is  on  the  same  principle  that  if  we  have  a 
number  of  buildings  and  wish  to  make  them  into  one 
large  structure,  it  is  necessary  to  break  them  up  into  sep- 
arate bricks.  Only  then  can  the  large  building  be  con- 
structed. 

In  order  to  accomplish  this  separation  of  nations  into 
individuals,  laws  were  given  which  prohibited  endogamy 
or  marriage  in  the  family  and  henceforth  incestuous  mar- 
riages gradually  came  to  be  regarded  with  horror.  Strange 
blood  has  thus  been  introduced  into  all  the  families  of  the 
Earth  and  it  has  gradually  wiped  out  the  involuntary  clair- 
voyance which  promoted  the  clannish  feeling  and  segre- 
gated humanity  into  groups.  Altruism  is  superseding 
patriotism,  and  loyalty  to  the  family  is  disappearing  in 
consequence  of  the  mixture  of  blood. 

Science  has  lately  discovered  that  hasmolysis  results  from 


356  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  inoculation  of  the  blood  of  one  individual  into  the 
veins  of  another  of  a  different  species,  causing  the  death 
of  the  lower  of  the  two.  Thus  any  animal  inoculated  with 
the  blood  of  a  man  dies.  The  blood  of  a  dog  transfused 
into  the  veins  of  a  bird  kills  the  bird,  but  it  will  not  hurt 
the  dog  to  have  the  bird's  blood  inoculated  into  its  veins. 
Science  merely  states  the  fact,  the  occult  scientist  gives 
the  reason.  The  blood  is  the  vantage  ground  of  the  spirit, 
as  shown  elsewhere.  The  Ego  in  man  works  in  its  own 
vehicles  by  means  of  the  heat  of  the  blood ;  the  race,  family 
or  community  spirit  gains  entrance  to  the  blood  by  means 
of  the  air  we  inspire.  In  the  animals  are  also  both  the 
separate  spirit  of  the  animal  and  the  group-spirit  of  the 
species  to  which  it  belongs,  but  the  spirit  of  the  animal  is 
not  individualized  and  does  not  work  self-consciously  with 
its  vehicles  as  does  the  Ego,  hence  it  is  altogether  domi- 
nated by  the  group-spirit  which  works  in  the  blood. 

When  the  blood  of  a  higher  animal  is  inoculated  into 
the  veins  of  one  from  a  lower  species,  the  spirit  in  the 
blood  of  the  higher  animal  is  of  course  stronger  than  the 
spirit  of  the  less  evolved;  hence  when  it  endeavors  to  as- 
sert itself  it  kills  the  imprisoning  form  and  liberates  itself. 
When,  on  the  other  hand,  the  blood  of  a  lower  species  is 
inoculated  into  the  veins  of  a  higher  animal,  the  higher 
spirit  is  capable  of  ousting  the  less  evolved  spirit  in  the 
strange  blood  and  assimilating  the  blood  to  its  own  pur- 
poses, therefore  no  visible  catastrophe  ensues. 

The  group-spirit  always  aims  to  preserve  the  integrity 
of  its  domain  in  the  blood  of  the  species  under  its  charge. 
Like  the  human  Race-God,  it  resents  the  marriage  of  its 
subjects  into  other  species  and  visits  the  sins  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children  as  we  see  in  the  case  of  hybrids.  Where 
a  horse  and  a  donkey  produce  a  mule  for  instance,  the 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  357 

mixture  of  the  strange  blood  destroys  the  propagative  fac- 
ulty so  as  not  to  perpetuate  the  hybrid  which  is  an  abomi- 
nation from  the  standpoint  of  the  group-spirit,  for  the 
mule  is  not  so  definitely  under  the  dominion  of  the  group- 
spirit  of  the  horses  or  of  the  group-spirit  of  the  donkeys 
as  the  pure  breed,  yet  it  is  not  so  far  away  as  to  be  en- 
tirely exempt  from  their  influence.  If  two  mules  could 
mate,  their  offspring  would  be  still  less  under  the  dominion 
of  either  of  these  group-spirits,  and  so  a  new  species 
WITHOUT  A  GROUP-SPIRIT  would  result.  That  would 
be  an  anomaly  in  nature,  an  impossibility  until  the  sep- 
arate animal-spirits  should  have  become  sufficiently  evolved 
to  be  self -sufficient.  Such  a  species,  could  it  be  produced, 
would  be  without  the  guiding  instinct,  so-called,  which  is 
in  reality  the  promptings  of  the  group-spirit;  they  would 
be  in  an  analogous  position  to  a  litter  of  kittens  removed 
from  the  mother's  womb  prior  to  birth.  They  could  not 
possibly  shift  for  themselves,  so  they  would  die. 

Therefore,  as  it  is  the  group-spirit  of  the  animals  that 
sends  the  separate  spirits  of  the  animals  into  incarnation, 
it  simply  withholds  the  fertilizing  seed-atom  when  animals 
of  widely  differing  species  are  mated.  It  permits  one  of 
its  charges  to  take  advantage  of  an  opportunity  for  in- 
carnation where  two  animals  of  nearly  the  same  nature 
are  mated,  but  refuses  to  let  the  hybrids  perpetuate  them- 
selves. Thus  we  see  that  the  infusion  of  strange  blood 
weakens  the  hold  of  the  group-spirit  and  that  therefore  it 
either  destroys  the  form  or  the  propagative  faculty  where 
it  has  the  power. 

The  human  spirit  is  individualized,  an  Ego,  it  is  evolv- 
ing free  will  and  responsibility.  It  is  drawn  to  incarna- 
tion by  the  irresistible  law  of  Consequence,  so  that  it  is 
beyond  the  power  of  the  race,  community  or  family  spirit 


358  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

to  keep  it  out  of  incarnation  at  the  present  stage  of  human 
development,  and  by  the  admixture  of  strange  blood,  by 
intermarriage  of  the  individuals  of  different  tribes  or 
nations,  the  leaders  of  man  are  gradually  helping  him  to 
oust  the  family,  tribal  or  national  spirit  from  the  blood, 
but  with  it  has  necessarily  gone  the  involuntary  clairvoy- 
ance which  was  due  to  its  working  in  the  blood,  whereby 
it  fostered  the  family  traditions  in  its  charges,  and  so  we 
see  that  also  in  the  case  of  man  a  faculty  was  destroyed 
by  the  mixture  of  blood.  That  loss  was  a  gain,  however, 
for  it  has  concentrated  man's  energy  on  the  material  world 
and  he  is  better  able  to  master  its  lessons  than  if  he  were 
still  distracted  by  the  visions  of  the  higher  realms. 

As  man  becomes  emancipated  he  gradually  ceases  to 
think  of  himself  as  "Abraham's  Seed,"  as  a  "Clan  Stewart 
Man,"  as  a  "Brahmin"  or  a  "Levite";  lie  is  learning  to 
think  more  of  himself  as  an  individual,  an  "I."  The  more 
he  cultivates  that  "Self,"  the  more  he  frees  himself  from 
the  family-  and  national-spirit  in  the  blood,  the  more  he 
becomes  a  self-sufficient  citizen  of  the  world. 

There  is  much  foolish,  even  dangerous,  talk  of  giving 
up  the  Self  to  the  Not-Self;  only  when  we  have  cultivated 
a  "Self"  can  we  sacrifice  ourselves  and  give  up  the  Self  to 
the  WHOLE.  So  long  as  we  can  only  love  our  own  family 
or  nation  we  are  incapable  of  loving  others.  We  are  bound 
by  the  tie  of  kin  and  country.  When  we  have  burst  the 
tie  of  blood  and  asserted  ourselves  and  become  self-suffi- 
cient may  we  become  unselfish  helpers  of  humanity.  When 
a  man  has  reached  that  stage  he  will  find  that,  instead  of 
having  lost  his  own  family,  he  has  gained  all  the  families 
in  the  world,  for  they  will  have  become  his  sisters  and 
brothers,  his  fathers  and  mothers  to  care  for  and  to  help. 

Then  he  will  regain  the  viewpoint  of  the  Spiritual  World 


OCCULT  ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  359 

which  he  lost  by  the  mixing  of  blood,  but  it  will  be  a 
higher  faculty  an  intelligent,  voluntary  clairvoyance  where 
he  can  see  what  he  wills  and  not  merely  the  negative  fac- 
ulty imprinted  in  his  blood  by  the  family-spirit  which 
bound  him  to  the  family  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other 
families.  His  viewpoint  will  be  universal,  to  be  used  for 
universal  good. 

For  aforementioned  reasons,  intertribal,  and  later  inter- 
'  national,  marriages  came  gradually  to  be  regarded  as  de- 
sirable and  preferable  to  close  intermarriages. 

As  man  progressed  through  these  stages,  and  gradually 
lost  touch  with  the  inner  world,  he  sorrowed  over  the  loss 
and  longed  for  a  return  of  the  "inner"  vision.  But  by 
degrees  he  forgot,  and  the  material  world  gradually  loomed 
up  before  his  mind  as  the  only  reality,  until  at  last  he  has 
come  to  scout  the  idea  that  such  inner  Worlds  exist  and 
to  regard  a  belief  in  them  as  foolish  superstition. 

The  four  causes  contributing  to  this  condition  were: 

(1)  The  clearing  of  the  foggy  atmosphere  of  the  At- 
lantean  continent. 

(2)  The  indrawing  of  the  vital  body,  so  that  a  point 
at  the  root  of  the  nose  corresponds  to  a  similar  point  in 
the  vital  body. 

(3)  The  elimination  of  inbreeding  and  the  substitu- 
tion therefor  of  marriages  outside  the  family  and  tribe. 

(4)  The  use  of  intoxicants. 

The  Race-spirits  still  exist  in  and  work  with  man,  but 
the  more  advanced  the  nation,  the  more  freedom  is  given 
the  individual.  In  countries  where  people  are  most  fet- 
tered, the  Race-spirit  is  strongest.  The  more  in  harmony 
a  man  is  with  the  law  of  Love,  and  the  higher  his  ideals, 
the  more  he  frees  himself  from  the  spirit  of  the  Race. 

Patriotism,  while  good  in  itself,  is  a  tie  of  the  Race- 


360  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

spirit.  The  ideal  of  Universal  Brotherhood,  which  identi- 
fies itself  with  neither  country  nor  race,  is  the  only  path 
which  leads  to  emancipation. 

Christ  came  to  reunite  the  separated  races  in  bonds  of 
peace  and  good-will,  wherein  all  will  willingly  and  con- 
sciously follow  the  law  of  Love. 

The  present  Christianity  is  not  even  a  shadow  of  the 
true  religion  of  Christ.  That  will  remain  in  abeyance 
until  all  race-feeling  shall  have  been  overcome.  In  the 
Sixth  Epoch  there  will  be  but  one  Universal  Brotherhood, 
under  the  Leadership  of  the  Returned  Christ,  but  the  day 
and  the  hour  no  man  knows,  for  it  is  not  fixed,  but  de- 
pends upon  how  soon  a  sufficient  number  of  people  shall 
have  commenced  to  live  the  life  of  Fellowship  and  Love, 
which  is  to  be  the  hall-mark  of  the  new  dispensation. 

THE  FALL  OF  MAN. 

In  connection  with  the  analysis  of  Genesis,  a  few  more 
words  must  be  said  about  "The  Fall,"  which  is  the  back- 
bone and  sinew  of  popular  Christianity.  Had  there  been 
no  "Fall,"  there  would  have  been  no  need  for  the  "plan 
of  salvation." 

When,  in  the  middle  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch,  the  separa- 
tion of  the  sexes  occurred  (in  which  work  Jehovah  and  His 
Angels  were  active),  the  Ego  began  to  work  slightly  upon 
the  dense  body,  building  organs  within.  Man  was  not  at 
that  time  the  wide-awake  conscious  being  he  is  at  present, 
but  by  means  of  half  the  sex  force,  he  was  building  a  brain 
for  the  expression  of  thought  as  previously  described.  He 
was  more  awake  in  the  Spiritual  World  than  in  the  physi- 
cal; hardly  saw  his  body  and  was  not  conscious  of  the  act 
of  propagation.  The  Bible  statement  that  Jehovah  put 
man  to  sleep  when  he  was  to  bring  forth  is  correct.  There 


OCCULT   ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  361 

was  no  pain  nor  trouble  connected  with  childbirth;  nor 
(because  of  man's  exceedingly  dim  consciousness  of  his 
physical  surroundings)  did  he  know  anything  of  the  loss 
of  his  dense  body  by  death,  or  of  his  installment  in  a  new 
dense  vehicle  at  birth. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Lucifers  were  a  part  of 
the  humanity  of  the  Moon  Period;  they  are  the  stragglers 
of  the  life  wave  of  the  Angels,  too  far  advanced  to  take  a 
dense  physical  body,  yet  they  needed  an  "inner"  organ  for 
the  acquisition  of  knowledge.  Moreover,  they  could  work 
through  a  physical  brain,  which  the  Angels  or  Jehovah 
could  not. 

These  spirits  entered  the  spinal  cord  and  brain  and 
spoke  to  the  woman,  whose  Imagination,  as  explained  else- 
where, had  been  aroused  by  the  training  of  the  Lemurian 
Race.  As  her  consciousness  was  principally  internal,  a 
picture-consciousness  of  them  was  received  by  her,  and  she 
saw  them  as  serpents,  for  they  had  entered  her  brain  by 
the  serpentine  spinal  cord. 

The  training  of  the  women  included  watching  the  peril- 
ous feats  and  fights  of  the  Men  in  developing  Will,  in 
which  fights  bodies  were  necessarily  often  killed.  The  dim 
consciousness  of  something  unusual  set  the  imagination  of 
the  woman  to  wondering  why  she  saw  these  strange  things. 
She  was  conscious  of  the  spirits  of  those  who  had  lost  their 
bodies,  but  her  imperfect  sense  of  the  Physical  World 
failed  to  reveal  these  friends  whose  dense  bodies  had  been 
destroyed. 

The  Lucifers  solved  the  problem  for  her  by  "opening 
her  eyes."  They  revealed  to  her  her  own  body  and  that  of 
the  man  and  taught  her  how,  together,  they  might  conquer 
death  by  creating  new  bodies.  Thus  death  could  not  touch 
them  for  they,  like  Jehovah,  could  create  at  will. 


362  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Lucifer  opened  the  eyes  of  woman.  She  sought  the  help 
of  man  and  opened  his  eyes.  Thus,  in  a  real  though  dim 
way,  they  first  "knew"  or  became  aware  of  one  another  and 
also  of  the  Physical  World.  They  became  conscious  of  death 
and  pain  and  by  this  knowledge  they  learned  to  differentiate 
between  the  inner  man  and  the  outer  garment  he  wears  and 
renews  each  time  it  is  necessary  to  take  his  next  step  in 
evolution.  They  ceased  to  be  automatons  and  became  free 
thinking  beings  at  the  cost  of  freedom  from  pain,  sickness 
and  death. 

That  the  interpretation  of  the  eating  of  the  fruit  as  a 
symbol  of  the  generative  act  is  not  a  far-fetched  idea,  is 
shown  by  the  declaration  of  Jehovah  (which  is  not  a 
curse  at  all,  but  simply  a  statement  of  the  consequences 
that  would  follow  the  act)  that  they  will  die  and  that  the 
woman  will  bear  her  children  in  pain  and  suffering.  He 
knew  that,  as  man's  attention  had  now  been  called  to  his 
physical  garment,  he  would  become  aware  of  its  loss  by 
death.  He  also  knew  that  man  had  not  yet  wisdom  to 
bridle  his  passion  and  regulate  sexual  intercourse  by  the 
positions  of  the  planets,  therefore  pain  in  childbirth  must 
follow  his  ignorant  abuse  of  the  function. 

It  has  always  been  a  sore  puzzle  to  Bible  commentators 
what  connection  there  could  possibly  be  between  the  eating 
of  fruit  and  the  bearing  of  children,  but  if  we  under- 
stand that  the  eating  of  the  fruit  is  symbolical  of  the  gen- 
erative act  whereby  man  becomes  "like  God"  inasmuch  as 
he  knows  his  kind  and  is  thus  able  to  generate  new  beings, 
the  solution  is  easy. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch  when  man 
arrogated  to  himself  the  prerogative  of  performing  the 
generative  act  when  he  pleased,  it  was  his  then-powerful 
will  that  enabled  him  to  do  so.  By  "eating  of  the  tree 


OCCULT   ANALYSIS  OF  GENESIS  363 

of  knowledge"  at  any  and  all  times  he  was  able  to  create 
a  new  body  whenever  he  lost  an  old  vehicle. 

We  usually  think  of  death  as  something  to  be  dreaded. 
Had  man  also  "eaten  of  the  tree  of  life,"  had  he  learned 
the  secret  of  how  to  perpetually  vitalize  his  body,  there 
would  have  been  a  worse  condition.  We  know  that  our 
bodies  are  not  perfect  today  and  in  those  ancient  days  they 
were  exceedingly  primitive.  Therefore  the  anxiety  of  the 
creative  Hierarchies  lest  man  "eat  of  the  tree  of  life  also," 
and  become  capable  of  renewing  his  vital  body,  was  well 
founded.  Had  he  done  so  he  would  have  been  immortal 
indeed,  but  would  never  have  been  able  to  progress.  The 
evolution  of  the  Ego  depends  upon  its  vehicles  and  if  it 
could  not  get  new  and  improving  ones  by  death  and  birth, 
there  would  be  stagnation.  It  is  an  occult  maxim  that 
the  oftener  we  die  the  better  we  are  able  to  live,  for  every 
birth  gives  us  a  new  chance. 

We  have  seen  that  brain-knowledge,  with  its  concomitant 
selfishness,  was  bought  by  man  at  the  cost  of  the  power  to 
create  from  himself  alone.  He  bought  his  free  will  at 
the  cost  of  pain  and  death ;  but  when  man  learns  to  use  his 
intellect  for  the  good  of  humanity,  he  will  gain  spiritual 
power  over  life  and  in  addition,  will  be  guided  by  an  innate 
knowledge  as  much  higher  than  the  present  brain-conscious- 
ness as  that  is  higher  than  the  lowest  animal  consciousness. 

The  fall  into  generation  was  necessary  to  build  the 
brain,  but  that  is,  at  best,  only  an  indirect  way  of  gaining 
knowledge  and  will  be  superseded  by  direct  touch  with  the 
Wisdom  of  Nature,  which  man,  without  any  co-operation, 
will  then  be  able  to  use  for  the  generation  of  new  bodies. 
The  larnyx  will  again  speak  "the  lost  Word,"  the  "creative 
Fiat,"  which,  under  the  guidance  of  great  Teachers,  was 


364 


EOSiCRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 


used  in  ancient  Lemuria  in  the  creation  of  plants  and 
animals. 

Man  will  then  be  a  creator  in  very  truth.  Not  in  the 
slow  and  toilsome  manner  of  the  present  day,  but  by  the 
use  of  the  proper  word  or  magical  formula,  will  he  be  able 
to  create  a  body. 

All  that  was  manifested  during  the  descending  period 
of  involution  remains  until  the  corresponding  point  on  the 
ascending  arc  of  evolution  has  been  reached.  The  present 
generative  organs  will  degenerate  and  atrophy.  The  female 
organ  was  the  first  to  come  into  existence  as  a  separate 
unit  and,  according  to  the  law  that  "the  first  shall  be 
last,"  will  be  the  last  to  atrophy.  The  male  organ  was 
differentiated  last  and  is  even  now  commencing  to  divide 
itself  from  the  body.  Diagram  13  will  make  this  clear. 


rfan  ori^'nafcs. .  Ffcmale  ( 


CDdttr      UJorld 


PART  III. 

Man's  Future  Development 
and  Initiation. 


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CHAPTER  XV. 
CHRIST  AND  His  MISSION. 
The  Evolution  of  Religion. 

IN  the  foregoing  part  of  this  work  we  have  become 
familiar  with  the  way  in  which  our  present  outside 
world  came  into  existence,  and  how  man  evolved  the 
complicated  organism  with  which  he  is  related  to  outer 
conditions.      We   have   also,    in   a   measure,   studied    the 
Jewish   Race-religion.     We   will   next   consider   the   last 
and  greatest  of  the   divine  measures  put  forth  for  the 
uplifting  of  humanity,  i.  e.,  Christianity,  which  will  be 
the  Universal  Religion  of  the  future. 

It  is  a  notable  fact  that  man  and  his  religions  have 
evolved  side  by  side  and  in  an  equal  degree.  The  earliest 
religion  of  any  Race  is  found  to  be  as  savage  as  the  people 
governed  by  it  and  as  they  become  more  civilized,  their 
religions  become  more  and  more  humane  and  in  harmony 
with  higher  ideals. 

From  this  fact  materialists  have  drawn  the  inference 
that  no  religion  has  a  higher  origin  than  man  himself. 
Their  investigations  into  early  history  have  resulted  in  a 
conviction  that,  as  man  progressed,  he  civilized  his  God 
and  fashioned  Him  after  his  own  pattern. 

This  reasoning  is  defective,  because  it  fails  to  take  into 
account  that  man  is  not  the  body,  but  an  indwelling  spirit, 
an  Ego  who  uses  the  body  with  ever-increasing  facility  as 
evolution  progresses. 

367 


368  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  law  for  the  body  is  "The 
Survival  of  the  Fittest."  The  law  for  the  evolution  of 
the  spirit  demands  "Sacrifice."  As  long  as  man  believes 
that  "Might  is  Eight/'  the  Form  prospers  and  waxes 
strong,  because  all  obstacles  are  swept  out  of  the  way  re- 
gardless of  others.  If  the  body  were  all,  that  manner  of 
life  would  be  the  only  one  possible  for  man.  He  would  be 
altogether  incapable  of  any  regard  for  others  and  would 
forcibly  resist  any  attempt  to  encroach  upon  what  he  con- 
sidered his  rights — the  right  of  the  stronger,  which  is  the 
sole  standard  of  justice  under  the  law  of  the  Survival  of 
the  Fittest.  He  would  be  quite  regardless  of  his  fellow- 
beings;  absolutely  insensible  to  any  force  from  without 
that  tended  to  make  him  act  in  any  manner  not  conducive 
to  his  own  momentary  pleasure. 

It  is  manifest,  then,  that  whatever  urges  man  toward  a 
higher  standard  of  conduct  in  his  dealing  with  others  must 
come  from  within,  and  from  a  source  which  is  not  identical 
with  the  body,  otherwise  it  would  not  strive  with  the  body 
and  often  prevail  against  its  most  obvious  interests.  More- 
over, it  must  be  a  stronger  force  than  that  of  the  body,  or 
it  could  not  succeed  in  overcoming  its  desires  and  com- 
pelling it  to  make  sacrifices  for  those  who  are  physically 
weaker. 

That  such  a  force  exists,  surely  no  one  will  deny.  We 
have  come  to  that  stage  in  our  advancement  where,  instead 
of  seeing  in  physical  weakness  an  opp&rtunity  for  easy 
prey,  we  recognize  in  the  very  frailty  of  another  a  valid 
claim  upon  our  protection.  Selfishness  is  being  slowly 
but  surely  routed  by  Altruism. 

Nature  is  sure  to  accomplish  her  purposes.  Though 
slow,  her  progress  is  orderly  and  certain.  In  the  breast  of 
every  man  this  force  of  Altruism  works  as  a  leaven.  It  is 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  369 

transforming  the  savage  into  the  civilized  man,  and  will  in 
time  transform  the  latter  into  a  God. 

Though  nothing  that  is  truly  spiritual  can  be  thoroughly 
comprehended,  yet  it  may  at  least  be  apprehended  by  means 
of  an  illustration. 

If  one  of  two  tuning-forks  of  exactly  the  same  pitch  is 
struck,  the  sound  will  induce  the  same  vibration  in  the 
other,  weak  to  begin  with,  but  if  the  strokes  are  continued, 
the  second  fork  will  give  out  a  louder  and  louder  tone 
until  it  will  emit  a  volume  of  sound  equal  to  that  of  the 
first.  This  will  happen  though  the  forks  are  several  feet 
apart,  and  even  if  one  of  them  is  encased  in  glass.  The 
sound  from  the  smitten  one  will  penetrate  the  glass  and 
the  answering  note  be  emitted  by  the  enclosed  instrument. 

These  invisible  sound-vibrations  have  great  power  over 
concrete  matter.  They  can  both  build  and  destroy.  If  a 
small  quantity  of  very  fine  powder  is  placed  upon  a  brass 
or  glass  plate,  and  a  violin  bow  drawn  across  the  edge,  the 
vibrations  will  cause  the  powder  to  assume  beautiful  geo- 
metrical figures.  The  human  voice  is  also  capable  of  pro- 
ducing these  figures;  always  the  same  figure  for  the  same 
tone. 

If  one  note  or  chord  after  another  be  sounded  upon  a 
musical  instrument — a  piano,  or  preferably  a  violin,  for 
from  it  more  gradations  of  tone  can  be  obtained — a  tone 
will  finally  be  reached  which  will  cause  the  hearer  to  feel 
a  distinct  vibration  in  the  back  of  the  lower  part  of  the 
head.  Each  time  that  note  is  struck,  the  vibration  will  be 
felt.  That  note  is  the  "key-note"  of  the  person  whom  it  so 
affects.  If  it  is  struck  slowly  and  soothingly  it  will  build 
and  rest  the  body,  tone  the  nerves  and  restore  health.  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  be  sounded  in  a  dominant  way,  loud 


370  BOSIORUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

and  long  enough,  it  will  kill  as  surely  as  a  bullet  from  a 
pistol. 

If  we  now  apply  what  has  been  said  about  music  or 
sound  to  the  problem  of  how  this  inner  force  is  awakened 
and  strengthened,  we  may  perhaps  understand  the  matter 
better. 

In  the  first  place,  let  us  particularly  note  the  fact  that 
the  two  tuning-forks  were  of  the  same  pitch.  Had  this  not 
been  the  case,  we  might  have  sounded  and  sounded  one  of 
them  until  the  crack  of  doom,  but  the  other  one  would 
have  remained  mute.  Let  us  understand  this  thoroughly: 
Vibration  can  be  induced  in  one  tuning-fork  by  one  of 
like  tone  only.  Any  thing,  or  any  being,  can  be  affected  as 
above  stated  by  no  sound  except  its  own  key-note. 

We  know  that  this  force  of  Altruism  exists.  We  also 
know  that  it  is  less  pronounced  among  uncivilized  people 
than  among  people  of  higher  social  attainment,  and  among 
the  very  lowest  races  it  is  almost  entirely  lacking.  The 
logical  conclusion  is  that  there  was  a  time  when  it  was 
altogether  absent.  Consequent  upon  this  conclusion  fol- 
lows the  natural  question:  What  induced  it? 

The  material  personality  surely  had  nothing  to  do  with 
it ;  in  fact,  that  part  of  man's  nature  was  much  more  com- 
fortable without  it  than  it  has  been  at  any  time  since. 
Man  must  have  had  the  force  of  Altruism  latent  within, 
otherwise  it  could  not  have  been  awakened.  Still  further, 
it  must  have  been  awakened  by  a  force  of  the  same  kind — 
a  similar  force  that  was  already  active — as  the  second 
tuning-fork  was  started  into  vibration  by  the  first  after 
it  was  struck. 

We  also  saw  that  the  vibrations  in  the  second  fork  be- 
came stronger  and  stronger  under  the  continued  impacts  of 
sound  from  the  first,  and  that  a  glass  case  was  no  hindrance 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  371 

to  the  induction  of  the  sound.  Under  the  continued  im- 
pacts of  a  force  similar  to  that  within  him,  the  Love  of 
God  to  man  has  awakened  this  force  of  Altruism  and  is 
constantly  increasing  its  potency. 

It  is  therefore  reasonable  and  logical  to  conclude  that, 
at  first,  it  was  necessary  to  give  man  a  religion  commen- 
surate with  his  ignorance.  It  would  have  been  useless 
to  talk  to  him,  at  that  stage,  of  a  God  Who  was  all  tender- 
ness and  love.  From  his  viewpoint,  those  attributes  were 
weaknesses  and  he  could  not  have  been  expected  to  rever- 
ence a  God  Who  possessed  what  were  to  him  despicable 
qualities.  The  God  to  Whom  he  rendered  obedience  must 
be  a  strong  God,  a  God  to  be  feared,  a  God  Who  could 
hurl  the  thunderbolt  and  wield  the  flail  of  the  lightning. 

Thus,  man  was  impelled  first  to  fear  God  and  was  given 
religions  of  a  nature  to  further  his  spiritual  well-being 
under  the  lash  of  fear. 

The  next  step  was  to  induce  in  him  a  certain  kind  of 
unselfishness,  by  causing  him  to  give  up  part  of  his  worldly 
goods — to  sacrifice.  This  was  achieved  by  giving  him  the 
Tribal  or  Race-God,  Who  is  a  jealous  God,  requiring  of 
him  the  strictest  allegiance  and  the  sacrifice  of  wealth, 
which  the  growing  man  greatly  prizes.  But  in  return,  this 
Eace-God  is  a  friend  and  mighty  ally,  fighting  man's  bat- 
tles and  giving  him  back  many  fold  the  sheep,  bullocks 
and  grain  which  he  sacrificed.  He  had  not  yet  arrived  at 
the  stage  where  it  was  possible  for  him  to  understand 
that  all  creatures  are  akin,  but  the  Tribal  God  taught 
him  that  he  must  deal  mercifully  with  his  brother  tribes- 
man and  gave  laws  which  made  for  equity  and  fair  dealing 
between  men  of  the  same  Race. 

It  must  not  be  thought  that  these  successive  steps  were 
taken  easily,  nor  without  rebellion  and  lapses  upon  the 


372  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

part  of  primitive  man.  Selfishness  is  ingrained  in  the 
lower  nature  even  unto  this  day,  and  there  must  have  been 
many  lapses  and  much  backsliding.  We  have  in  the  Jew- 
ish Bible  good  examples  of  how  man  forgot,  and  had  to 
be  patiently  and  persistently  "prodded"  again  and  again  by 
the  Tribal  God.  Only  the  visitations  of  a  long-suffering 
Race-spirit  were  potent,  at  times,  in  bringing  him  back  to 
the  law — that  law  very  few  people  have  even  yet  learned 
to  obey. 

There  are  always  pioneers,  however,  who  require  some- 
thing higher.  When  they  become  sufficiently  numerous,  a 
new  step  in  evolution  is  taken,  so  that  several  gradations 
always  exist.  There  came  a  time,  nearly  two  thousand 
years  ago,  when  the  most  advanced  of  humanity  were 
ready  to  take  another  step  forward,  and  learn  the  religion 
of  living  a  good  life  for  the  sake  of  future  reward  in  a  state 
of  existence  in  which  they  must  have  faith. 

That  was  a  long,  hard  step  to  take.  It  was  compara- 
tively easy  to  take  a  sheep  or  a  bullock  to  the  temple  and 
offer  it  as  a  sacrifice.  If  a  man  brought  the  first-fruits  of 
his  granary,  his  vineyards,  or  his  flocks  and  herds,  he  still 
had  more,  and  he  knew  that  the  Tribal  God  would  refill 
his  stores  and  give  abundantly  in  return.  But  in  this 
new  departure,  it  was  not  a  question  of  sacrificing  his 
goods.  It  was  demanded  that  he  sacrifice  himself.  It  was 
not  even  a  sacrifice  to  be  made  by  one  supreme  effort  of 
martyrdom ;  that  also  would  have  been  comparatively  easy. 
Instead,  it  was  demanded  that  day  by  day,  from  morning 
until  night,  he  must  act  mercifully  toward  all.  He  must 
forego  selfishness,  and  love  his  neighbor,  as  he  had  been 
used  to  loving  himself.  Moreover,  he  was  not  promised 
any  immediate  and  visible  reward,  but  must  have  faith  in 
a  future  happiness. 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  373 

Is  it  strange  that  people  find  it  difficult  to  realize  this 
high  ideal  of  continued  well-doing,  made  doubly  hard  by 
the  fact  that  self-interest  is  entirely  ignored?  Sacrifice  is 
demanded  with  no  positive  assurance  of  any  reward. 
Surely  it  is  much  to  the  credit  of  humanity  that  so  much 
altruism  is  practiced  and  that  it  is  constantly  increasing. 
The  wise  Leaders,  knowing  the  frailness  of  the  spirit  to 
cope  with  the  selfish  instincts  of  the  body,  and  the  dangers 
of  despondency  in  the  face  of  such  standards  of  conduct, 
gave  another  uplifting  impulse  when  they  incorporated  in 
the  new  religion  the  doctrine  of  "vicarious  Atonement." 

This  idea  is  scouted  by  some  very  advanced  philosophers, 
and  the  law  of  "Consequence"  made  paramount.  If  it  so 
happens  that  the  reader  agrees  with  these  philosophers, 
we  request  that  he  await  the  explanation  herein  set  forth, 
showing  how  both  are  part  of  the  scheme  of  upliftment. 
Suffice  it  to  say,  for  the  present,  that  this  doctrine  of 
atonement  gives  many  an  earnest  soul  the  strength  to 
strive  and,  in  spite  of  repeated  failures,  to  bring  the  lower 
nature  under  subjection.  Let  it  be  remembered  that,  for 
reasons  given  when  the  laws  of  Eebirth  and  Consequence 
were  discussed,  western  humanity  knew  practically  noth- 
ing of  these  laws.  With  such  a  great  ideal  before  them 
as  the  Christ,  and  believing  they  had  but  a  few  short  years 
in  which  to  attain  to  such  a  high  degree  of  development  as 
this,  would  it  not  have  been  the  greatest  imaginable  cruelty 
to  leave  them  without  help  ?  Therefore,  the  GREAT  SAC- 
RIFICE on  Calvary — while  it  also  served  other  purposes, 
as  will  be  shown — became  rightfully  the  Beacon  of  Hope 
for  every  earnest  soul  who  is  striving  to  achieve  the  impos- 
sible; to  attain,  in  one  short  life,  to  the  perfection 
demanded  by  the  Christian  religion. 


374  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

JESUS  AND  CHRIST-JESUS. 

To  gain  some  slight  insight  into  the  Great  Mystery  of 
Golgotha,  and  to  understand  the  Mission  of  Christ  as  the 
Founder  of  the  Universal  Religion  of  the  future,  it  is 
necessary  that  we  first  become  familiar  with  His  exact 
nature  and  incidentally,  with  that  of  Jehovah,  Who  is  the 
head  of  such  Race-religions  as  Taoism,  Buddhism,  Hindu- 
ism, Judaism,  etc. ;  also  with  the  identity  of  "The  Father," 
to  Whom  Christ  is  to  give  up  the  Kingdom,  in  due  time. 

In  the  Christian  creed  occurs  this  sentence:  "Jesus 
Christ,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God."  This  is  generally 
understood  to  mean  that  a  certain  person  Who  appeared 
in  Palestine  about  2,000  years  ago,  Who  is  spoken  of  as 
Jesus  Christ — one  separate  individual — was  the  only  be- 
gotten Son  of  God. 

This  is  a  great  mistake.  There  are  three  distinct  and 
widely  different  Beings  characterized  in  this  sentence.  It 
is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  student  should  clearly 
understand  the  exact  nature  of  these  Three  Great  and 
Exalted  Beings — differing  vastly  in  glory,  yet  each  entitled 
to  our  deepest  and  most  devout  adoration. 

The  student  is  requested  to  turn  to  diagram  6  and  note 
that  "The  only  begotten"  ("The  Word,"  of  Whom  John 
speaks)  is  the  second  aspect  of  the  Supreme  Being. 

This  "Word,"  and  It  alone,  is  "begotten  of  His  Father 
[the  first  aspect]  before  all  Worlds."  "Without  Him  was 
not  anything  made  that  was  made,"  not  even  the  third 
aspect  of  the  Supreme  Being,  which  proceeds  from  the 
two  previous  aspects.  Therefore  the  "only  begotten"  is 
the  exalted  Being  which  ranks  above  all  else  in  the  Uni- 
verse, save  only  the  Power-aspect  which  created  It. 

The  first  aspect  of  the  Supreme  Being  "thinks  out,"  or 
imagines,  the  Universe  before  the  beginning  of  active 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  375 

manifestation,  everything,  including  the  millions  of  Solar 
Systems  and  the  great  creative  Hierarchies  which  inhabit 
the  Cosmic  Planes  of  existence  above  the  seventh,  which  is 
the  field  of  our  evolution  (See  diagram  6).  This  is  also 
the  Force  which  dissolves  everything  that  has  crystallized 
beyond  the  possibility  of  further  growth  and  at  last,  when 
the  end  of  active  manifestation  has  come,  reabsorbs  within 
Itself  all  that  is,  until  the  dawn  of  another  Period  of 
Manifestation. 

The  second  aspect  of  the  Supreme  Being  is  that  which 
manifests  in  matter  as  the  forces  of  attraction  and  cohe- 
sion, thus  giving  it  the  capability  of  combining  into  Forms 
of  various  kinds.  This  is  "The  Word,"  the  "creative 
Fiat,"  which  molds  the  primordial  Cosmic  Root-substance 
in  a  manner  similar  to  the  formation  of  figures  by  musical 
vibrations,  as  previously  mentioned,  the  same  tone  always 
producing  the  same  figure.  So  this  great  primordial 
"WORD"  brought,  or  "spoke,"  into  being,  in  finest  matter, 
all  the  different  Worlds,  with  all  their  myriads  of  Forms, 
which  have  since  been  copied  and  worked  out  in  detail  by 
the  innumerable  creative  Hierarchies. 

"The  Word"  could  not  have  done  this,  however,  until 
the  third  aspect  of  the  Supreme  Being  had  first  prepared 
the  Cosmic  Boot-substance ;  had  awakened  it  from  its  nor- 
mal state  of  inertia  and  set  the  countless  inseparate  atoms 
spinning  upon  their  axes,  placing  those  axes  at  various 
angles  with  respect  to  each  other,  giving  to  each  kind  a  cer- 
tain "measure  of  vibration." 

These  varying  angles  of  inclination  of  the  axes  and  the 
measures  of  vibration  made  the  Cosmic  Root-substance 
capable  of  forming  different  combinations,  which  are  the 
bases  of  the  seven  great  Cosmic  Planes.  There  is,  in  each 
of  these  Planes,  a  different  declination  of  the  axes,  and 


376  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

also  a  different  measure  of  vibration,  consequently  the  con- 
ditions and  combinations  in  each  one  are  different  from 
those  in  any  of  the  others,  due  to  the  activity  of  "The 
Only  Begotten." 

Diagram  14  shows  us  that: 

"The  Father"  is  the  highest  Initiate  among  the  humanity 

of  the  Saturn  Period.     The  ordinary  humanity  of 

that  Period  are  now  the  Lords  of  Mind. 

"The  Son"   (Christ)   is  the  highest  Initiate  of  the  Sun 

-   Period.    The  ordinary  humanity  of  that  Period  are 

now  the  Archangels. 

"The  Holy  Spirit"  (Jehovah)  is  the  highest  Initiate  of 
the  Moon  Period.  The  ordinary  humanity  of  that 
Period  are  now  the  Angels. 

This  diagram  also  shows  what  are  the  vehicles  of  these 
different  orders  of  Beings,  and  upon  comparison  with 
diagram  8,  it  will  be  seen  that  their  bodies  or  vehicles 
(indicated  by  squares  on  diagram  14)  correspond  to  the 
Globes  of  the  Period  in  which  they  were  human.  This  is 
always  the  case  so  far  as  the  ordinary  humanities  are 
concerned,  for  at  the  end  of  the  Period  during  which  any 
life  wave  becomes  individualized  as  human  beings,  those 
beings  retain  bodies  corresponding  to  the  Globes  on  which 
they  have  functioned. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Initiates  have  progressed  and 
evolved  for  themselves  higher  vehicles,  discontinuing  the 
ordinary  use  of  the  lowest  vehicle  when  the  ability  to  use  a 
new  and  higher  one  has  been  attained.  Ordinarily,  the 
lowest  vehicle  of  an  Archangel  is  the  desire  body,  but 
Christ,  Who  is  the  highest  Initiate  of  the  Sun  Period, 
ordinarily  uses  the  life  spirit  as  lowest  vehicle,  functioning 
as  consciously  in  the  World  of  Life  Spirit  as  we  do  in  the 
Physical  World.  The  student  is  requested  to  note  this 


378  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

point  particularly,  as  the  World  of  Life  Spirit  is  the  first 
universal  World,  as  explained  in  the  chapter  on  Worlds.  It 
is  the  World  in  which  differentiation  ceases  and  unity 
begins  to  be  realized,  so  far  as  our  solar  system  is 
concerned. 

Christ  has  power  to  build  and  function  in  a  vehicle  as 
low  as  the  desire  body,  such  as  is  used  by  the  Archangels, 
but  He  can  descend  no  further.  The  significance  of  this 
will  be  seen  presently. 

Jesus  belongs  to  our  humanity.  When  the  man,  Jesus, 
is  studied  through  the  memory  of  nature,  he  can  be  traced 
back  life  by  life,  where  he  lived  in  different  circumstances, 
under  various  names,  in  different  incarnations,  the  same, 
in  that  respect,  as  any  other  human  being.  This  cannot  be 
done  with  the  Being,  Christ.  In  His  case  can  be  found  but 
one  incarnation. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  Jesus  was  an 
ordinary  individual.  He  was  of  a  singularly  pure  type  of 
mind,  vastly  superior  to  the  great  majority  of  our  present 
humanity.  Through  many  lives  had  he  trod  the  Path  of 
Holiness  and  thus  fitted  himself  for  the  greatest  honor 
ever  bestowed  upon  a  human  being. 

His  mother,  the  Virgin  Mary,  was  also  a  type  of  the 
highest  human  purity  and  because  of  that  was  selected  to 
become  the  mother  of  Jesus.  His  father  was  a  high  Ini- 
tiate, virgin,  and  capable  of  performing  the  act  of  fecunda- 
tion as  a  sacrament,  without  personal  desire  or  passion. 

Thus  the  beautiful,  pure  and  lovely  spirit  whom  we 
know  as  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  born  into  a  pure  and  pas- 
sionless body.  This  body  was  the  best  that  could  be  pro- 
duced on  Earth  and  the  task  of  Jesus,  in  that  incarnation, 
was  to  care  for  it  and  evolve  it  to  the  highest  possible 


CHBIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  379 

degree  of  efficiency,  in  preparation  for  the  great  purpose  it 
was  to  serve. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  born  at  about  the  time  stated  in 
the  historic  records,  and  not  105  B.  C.,  as  stated  in  some 
occult  works.  The  name  Jesus  is  common  in  the  East, 
and  an  Initiate  named  Jesus  did  live  105  B.  C.,  but  he 
took  the  Egyptian  Initiation,  and  was  not  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth, with  whom  we  are  concerned. 

The  Individual  who  later  incarnated  under  the  name 
of  Christian  Rosenkreuz  was  already  in  a  high  incarnation 
when  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  born,  and  is  incarnate  today. 
His  testimony,  as  well  as  the  results  of  first-hand  investi- 
gation by  later  Rosicrucians,  all  agree  in  placing  the  birth 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  at  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  Era, 
on  about  the  date  usually  ascribed  to  that  event. 

Jesus  was  educated  by  the  Essenes  and  reached  a  very 
high  state  of  spiritual  development  during  the  thirty  years 
in  which  he  used  his  body. 

It  may  here  be  said,  parenthetically,  that  the  Essenes 
were  a  third  sect  which  existed  in  Palestine,  besides  the 
two  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament — the  Pharisees  arid 
the  Sadducees.  The  Essenes  were  an  exceedingly  devout 
order,  widely  different  from  the  materialistic  Sadducees 
and  entirely  opposite  to  the  hypocritical,  publicity  seeking 
Pharisees.  They  shunned  all  mention  of  themselves  and 
their  methods  of  study  and  worship.  To  the  latter  pecu- 
liarity is  due  the  fact  that  almost  nothing  is  known  of 
them,  and  that  they  are  not  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament. 

It  is  a  law  of  the  Cosmos  that  no  Being,  however  high, 
can  function  in  any  world  without  a  vehicle  built  of  the 
material  of  that  world  (See  diagrams  8  and  14).  There- 
fore the  desire  body  was  the  lowest  vehicle  of  the  group  of 


080  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

spirits  who  had  reached  the  human  stage  in  the  Sun 
Period. 

Christ  was  one  of  those  spirits  and  was  consequently  un- 
able to  build  for  Himself  a  vital  body  and  a  dense  physical 
vehicle.  He  could  have  worked  upon  humanity  in  a  desire 
body,  as  did  His  younger  brothers,  the  Archangels,  as 
Race-spirits.  Jehovah  had  opened  an  avenue  for  them  to 
enter  the  dense  body  of  man  by  means  of  the  air  he  in- 
haled. All  Eace-religions  were  religions  of  law,  and  cre- 
ators of  sin  through  disobedience  of  that  law.  They  were 
under  the  direction  of  Jehovah,  Whose  lowest  vehicle  is  the 
human  spirit,  correlating  Him  to  the  World  of  Abstract 
Thought,  where  everything  is  separative  and  therefore 
leads  to  self-seeking. 

That  is  precisely  the  reason  why  the  intervention  of 
Christ  became  necessary.  Under  the  regime  of  Jehovah 
unity  is  impossible.  Therefore  the  Christ,  Who  possesses 
as  a  lowest  vehicle  the  unifying  life  spirit,  must  enter 
into  the  dense  human  body.  He  must  appear  as  a  man 
among  men  and  dwell  in  this  body,  because  only  from 
within  is  it  possible  to  conquer  the  Race-religion,  which 
influences  man  from  without. 

Christ  could  not  be  lorn  in  a  dense  body,  because  He 
had  never  passed  through  an  evolution  such  as  the 
Earth  Period,  therefore  He  would  first  have  had 
to  acquire  the  ability  to  build  a  dense  body  such  as 
ours.  But  even  had  He  possessed  that  ability,  it  would 
have  been  inexpedient  for  such  an  exalted  Being  to  ex- 
pend for  that  purpose  the  energy  necessary  for  body- 
building through  ante-natal  life,  childhood  and  youth,  to 
bring  it  to  sufficient  maturity  for  use.  He  had  ceased 
to  use,  ordinarily,  vehicles  such  as  would  correspond  to  our 
human  spirit,  mind  and  desire  body,  although  He  had 
learned  to  build  them  in  the  Sun  Period,  and  retained  the 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  381 

ability  to  build  and  function  in  them  whenever  desired 
or  required.  He  used  all  his  own  vehicles,  taking  only 
the  vital  and  dense  bodies  from  Jesus.  When  the  latter 
was  30  years  of  age  Christ  entered  these  bodies  and  used 
them  until  the  climax  of  His  Mission  on  Golgotha.  After 
the  destruction  of  the  dense  body,  Christ  appeared  among 
His  disciples  in  the  vital  body,  in  which  He  functioned  for 
some  time.  The  vital  body  is  the  vehicle  which  He  will 
use  when  He  appears  again,  for  He  will  never  take  another 
dense  body. 

It  is  encroaching  upon  a  subject  to  be  dealt  with  later 
to  remark  that  the  object  of  all  esoteric  training  is  to  so 
work  on  the  vital  body  that  the  life  spirit  is  built  up  and 
quickened.  When  we  come  to  deal  with  Initiation  it  may 
be  possible  to  give  more  detailed  explanations,  but  no  more 
can  be  said  on  the  subject  just  now.  In  chronicling  the 
events  incident  to  post  mortem  existence,  this  subject  has 
been  partially  dealt  with  and  the  student  is  here  asked  to 
note  that  a  man  is  supposed  to  have  conquered  his  desire 
Iwdy  to  a  considerable  extent  before  attempting  esoteri- 
cism.  His  esoteric  training  and  the  earlier  Initiations  are 
devoted  to  work  on  the  vital  body  and  result  in  the  build- 
ing of  the  life  spirit.  At  the  time  Christ  entered  the  body 
of  Jesus,  the  latter  was  a  disciple  of  high  degree,  conse- 
quently his  life  spirit  was  well  organized.  Therefore,  the 
lowest  vehicle  in  which  Christ  functioned,  and  the  best 
organized  of  the  higher  vehicles  of  Jesus,  were  identical; 
and  Christ,  when  He  took  the  vital  body  and  the  dense 
body  of  Jesus,  was  thus  furnished  with  a  complete  chain 
of  vehicles  bridging  the  gap  between  the  World  of  Life 
Spirit  and  the  dense  Physical  World. 

The  significance  of  the  fact  that  Jesus  had  passed  sev- 
eral initiations  lies  in  the  effect  that  has  on  the  vital  body. 


382  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Jesus'  vital  body  was  already  attuned  to  the  high  vibrations 
of  the  life  spirit.  An  ordinary  man's  vital  body  would 
have  instantly  collapsed  under  the  terrific  vibrations  of 
the  Great  Spirit  who  entered  Jesus'  body.  Even  that 
body,  pure  and  high-strung  as  it  was,  could  not  withstand 
those  tremendous  impacts  for  many  years,  and  when  we 
read  of  certain  times  when  Christ  withdrew  temporarily 
from  his  disciples,  as  when  he  later  walked  on  the  sea  to 
meet  them,  the  esotericist  knows  that  he  drew  out  of 
Jesus'  vehicles  to  give  them  a  rest  under  the  care  of  the 
Essene  Brothers,  who  knew  more  of  how  to  treat  such 
vehicles  than  Christ  did. 

This  change  was  consummated  with  the  full  and  free 
consent  of  Jesus,  who  knew  during  this  entire  incarnation 
that  he  was  preparing  a  vehicle  for  Christ.  He  submitted 
gladly,  that  his  brother  humanity  might  receive  the  gigan- 
tic impetus  which  was  given  to  its  development  by  the 
mysterious  sacrifice  on  Golgotha. 

Thus  (as  shown  in  diagram  14)  Christ  Jesus  possessed 
the  twelve  vehicles,  which  formed  an  unbroken  chain  from 
the  Physical  World  to  the  very  Throne  of  God.  There- 
fore He  is  the  only  Being  in  the  Universe  in  touch  with 
both  God  and  man  and  capable  of  mediating  between  them, 
because  He  has,  personally  and  individually,  experienced 
all  conditions  and  knows  every  limitation  incidental  to 
physical  existence. 

Christ  is  unique  among  all  Beings  in  all  the  seven 
Worlds.  He  alone  possesses  the  twelve  vehicles.  None 
save  He  is  able  to  feel  such  compassion,  nor  so  fully  under- 
stand the  position  and  needs  of  humanity;  none  save  He 
is  qualified  to  bring  the  relief  that  shall  fully  meet  our 
needs. 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  383 

Thus  do  we  know  the  nature  of  Christ.  He  is  the  high- 
est Initiate  of  the  Sun  Period  and  He  took  the  dense  and 
vital  bodies  of  Jesus  that  He  might  function  directly  in 
the  Physical  World  and  appear  as  a  man  among  men. 
Had  He  appeared  in  a  manifestly  miraculous  manner,  it 
would  have  been  contrary  to  the  scheme  of  evolution,  be- 
cause at  the  end  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch  humanity  had 
been  given  freedom  to  do  right  or  wrong.  That  they  might 
learn  to  become  self-governing,  no  coercion  whatever  could 
be  used.  They  must  know  good  and  evil  through  experi- 
ence. Before  that  time  they  had  been  led  willy-nilly,  but 
at  that  time  they  were  given  freedom  under  the  different 
Race-religions,  each  religion  adapted  to  the  needs  of  ita 
particular  Tribe  or  Nation. 

NOT  PEACE  BUT  A  SWORD. 

All  Race-religions  are  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  are  in- 
sufficient, because  they  are  based  on  law,  which  makes  for 
sin  and  brings  death,  pain  and  sorrow. 

All  Race-spirits  know  this,  and  realize  that  their  reli- 
gions are  merely  steps  to  something  better.  This  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  all  Race-religions,  without  exception,  point 
to  One  Who  is  to  come.  The  religion  of  the  Persians 
pointed  to  Mithras;  of  the  Chaldeans  to  Tammuz.  The 
old  Norse  Gods  foresaw  the  approach  of  "The  Twilight 
of  the  Gods,"  when  Sutr,  the  bright  Sun-spirit,  shall  super- 
sede them  and  a  new  and  fairer  order  be  established  on 
"Gimle,"  the  regenerated  earth.  The  Egyptians  waited 
for  Horus,  the  new-born  Sun.  Mithras  and  Tammuz  are 
also  symbolized  as  Solar  orbs  and  all  the  principal  Temples 
were  built  facing  the  East,  that  the  rays  of  the  rising 
Sun  might  shine  directly  through  the  open  doors;  even 
Saint  Peter's  at  Rome  is  so  placed.  All  these  facts  show 


384  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

that  it  was  generally  known  that  the  One  Who  was  to 
come  was  a  Sun-spirit  and  was  to  save  humanity  from 
the  separative  influences  necessarily  contained  in  all  Race- 
religions. 

These  religions  were  steps  which  it  was  necessary  for 
mankind  to  take  to  prepare  for  the  advent  of  Christ.  Man 
must  first  cultivate  a  "self"  before  he  can  become  really 
wnselfish  and  understand  the  higher  phase  of  Universal 
Brotherhood — unity  of  purpose  and  interest — for  which 
Christ  laid  the  foundation  at  His  first  coming,  and  which 
He  will  make  living  realities  when  He  returns. 

As  the  fundamental  principle  of  a  Eace-religion  is  sep- 
aration, inculcating  self-seeking  at  the  expense  of  other 
men  and  nations,  it  is  evident  that  if  the  principle  is  car- 
ried to  its  ultimate  conclusion  it  must  necessarily  have 
an  increasingly  destructive  tendency  and  finally  frustrate 
evolution,  unless  succeeded  by  a  more  constructive  religion. 

Therefore  the  separative  religions  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
must  give  place  to  the  unifying  religion  of  the  Son,  which 
is  the  Christian  religion. 

Law  must  give  place  to  Love,  and  the  separate  Races  and 
Nations  be  united  in  one  Universal  Brotherhood,  with 
Christ  as  the  Eldest  Brother. 

The  Christian  religion  has  not  yet  had  time  to  accom- 
plish this  great  object.  Man  is  still  in  the  toils  of  the 
dominant  Race-spirit  and  the  ideals  of  Christianity  are 
yet  too  high  for  him.  The  intellect  can  see  some  of  the 
beauties,  and  readily  admits  that  we  should  love  our  ene- 
mies, but  the  passions  of  the  desire  body  are  still  too 
strong.  The  law  of  the  Race-spirit  being  "An  eye  for  an 
eye,"  the  Feeling  is  "I'll  get  even !"  The  heart  prays  for 
Love;  the  desire  body  hopes  for  Revenge.  The  intellect 
sees,  in  the  abstract,  the  beauty  of  loving  one's  enemies, 


CHEIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  385 

but  in  concrete  cases  it  allies  itself  with  the  vengeful  feel- 
ing of  the  desire  body,  pleading,  as  an  excuse  for  "getting 
even,"  that  "the  social  organism  must  be  protected." 

It  is  a  matter  for  congratulation,  however,  that  society 
feels  compelled  to  apologize  for  the  retaliative  methods 
used.  Corrective  methods  and  mercy  are  becoming  more 
and  more  prominent  in  the  administration  of  the  laws,  as 
is  shown  by  the  favorable  reception  which  has  been  accorded 
that  very  modern  institution,  the  Juvenile  Court.  Fur- 
ther manifestation  of  this  same  tendency  may  be  noted  in 
the  increasing  frequency  with  which  convicted  prisoners 
are  released  on  probation,  under  suspended  sentence;  also 
in  the  greater  humanity  with  which  prisoners  of  war  are 
treated  of  late  years.  These  are  the  vanguards  of  the  sen- 
timent of  Universal  Brotherhood,  which  is  slowly  but 
surely  making  its  influence  felt. 

Yet,  though  the  world  is  advancing  and  though,  for  in- 
stance, it  has  been  comparatively  easy  for  the  writer  to 
secure  a  hearing  for  his  views  in  the  different  cities  where 
he  has  lectured,  the  daily  papers  sometimes  devoting  to 
his  utterances  whole  pages  (and  front  pages  at  that)  so 
long  as  he  confined  himself  to  speaking  of  the  higher 
worlds  and  the  post  mortem  states,  it  has  been  very  notice- 
able that  as  soon  as  the  theme  was  Universal  Brotherhood 
his  articles  have  always  been  consigned  to  the  waste-basket. 

The  world  in  general  is  very  unwilling  to  consider  any- 
thing that  is,  as  it  thinks,  "too"  unselfish.  There  must  be 
"something  in  it."  Nothing  is  regarded  as  an  entirely 
natural  line  of  conduct  if  it  offers  no  opportunity  for 
"getting  the  best  of"  one's  fellowmen.  Commercial  under- 
takings are  planned  and  conducted  on  that  principle  and, 
before  the  minds  of  those  who  are  enslaved  by  the  desire 
to  accumulate  useless  wealth,  the  idea  of  Universal  Brother- 


386  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

hood  conjures  up  frightful  visions  of  the  abolition  of  cap- 
italism and  its  inevitable  concomitant,  the  exploitation  of 
others,  with  the  wreck  of  "business  interests"  implied 
thereby.  The  word  "enslaved"  exactly  describes  this  con- 
dition. According  to  the  Bible,  man  was  to  have  dominion 
over  the  world,  but  in  the  vast  majority  of  cases  the  reverse 
is  true — it  is  the  world  which  has  dominion  over  man. 
Every  msm  who  has  property  interests  will,  in  his  saner 
moments,  admit  that  they  are  a  never-failing  source  of 
worry  to  him;  that  he  is  constantly  scheming  to  hold  his 
possessions,  or  at  least  to  keep  from  being  deprived  of  them 
by  "sharp  practice,"  knowing  that  others  are  as  constantly 
scheming  to  accomplish  that,  to  them,  desirable  end.  The 
man  is  the  slave  of  what,  with  unconscious  irony,  he  calls 
"my  possessions,"  when  in  reality  they  possess  him.  Well 
did  the  Sage  of  Concord  say,  "Things  are  in  the  saddle  and 
ride  mankind !" 

This  state  of  affairs  is  the  result  of  Race-religions,  with 
their  system  of  law;  therefore  do  they  all  look  for  "One 
Who  is  to  come."  The  Christian  religion  ALONE  is  not 
looking  for  One  Who  is  to  come,  but  for  One  Who  is  to 
come  again.  The  time  of  this  second  coming  depends 
upon  when  the  Church  can  free  itself  from  the  State.  The 
Church,  especially  in  Europe,  is  bound  to  tfie  Chariot  of 
State.  The  ministers  are  fettered  by  economic  considera- 
tions and  dare  not  proclaim  the  truths  that  their  studies 
have  revealed  to  them. 

A  visitor  to  Copenhagen,  Denmark,  recently  witnessed  a 
church  confirmation  service.  The  Church  there  is  under 
State  control  and  all  ministers  are  appointed  by  the  tem- 
poral power.  The  parishioners  have  nothing  whatever  to 
say  in  the  matter.  They  may  attend  church  or  not,  as 


CUK18T  AND  HIS  MISSION  337 

they  please,  but  they  are  compelled  to  pay  the  taxes  which 
support  the  institution. 

In  addition  to  holding  office  by  the  bounty  of  the  State, 
the  pastor  of  the  particular  church  visited  was  decorated 
with  several  Orders  conferred  by  the  king,  the  glittering 
badges  bearing  silent  but  eloquent  testimony  as  to  the 
extent  of  his  subserviency  to  the  State.  During  the  cere- 
mony, he  prayed  for  the  king  and  the  legislators,  that 
they  might  rule  the  country  wisely.  As  long  as  kings  and 
legislators  exist,  this  prayer  might  be  very  appropriate,  but 
it  was  a  considerable  shock  to  hear  him  add :  "  . 
and,  Almighty  God,  protect  and  strengthen  our  army  and 
navy !" 

Such  a  prayer  as  this  shows  plainly  that  the  God  wor- 
shiped is  the  Tribal  or  National  God — the  Race-spirit,  for 
the  last  act  of  the  gentle  Christ  Jesus  was  to  stay  the  sword 
of  the  friend  who  would  have  protected  Him  therewith. 
Although  He  said  He  had  not  come  to  send  peace,  but  a 
sword,  it  was  because  He  foresaw  the  oceans  of  blood  that 
would  be  spilled  by  the  militant  "Christian"  nations  in 
their  mistaken  understanding  of  His  teachings  and  because 
high  ideals  cannot  be  immediately  attained  by  humanity. 
The  wholesale  murder  of  war  and  like  atrocities  are  harsh, 
but  they  are  potent  illustrations  of  what  Love  would 
abolish. 

There  is,  apparently,  a  flat  contradiction  between  the 
words  of  Christ  Jesus,  "I  came  not  to  send  peace,  but  a 
sword,"  and  the  words  of  the  celestial  song  which  heralded 
the  birth  of  Jesus,  "On  earth  Peace,  Goodwill  toward  men." 
This  contradiction,  however,  is  apparent  only. 

There  is  as  great  an  apparent  contradiction  between  a 
woman's  words  and  her  actions  when  she  says,  "I  am 
going  to  clean  house  and  tidy  up,"  and  then  proceeds  to 


388  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

take  up  carpets  and  pile  chairs  one  upon  another,  produc- 
ing general  confusion  in  a  previously  orderly  house.  One 
observing  only  this  aspect  of  the  matter,  would  be  justified 
in  saying,  "She  is  making  matters  worse  instead  of  better," 
but  when  the  purpose  of  her  work  is  understood,  the  ex- 
pediency of  the  temporary  disorder  is  realized  and  in  the 
end  her  house  will  be  the  better  for  the  passing  disturbance. 
Similarly,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  time  which 
has  elapsed  since  the  coming  of  Christ  Jesus  is  but  little 
more  than  a  moment  in  comparison  with  the  duration  of 
even  one  Day  of  Manifestation.  We  must  learn,  as  did 
Whitman,  to  "know  the  amplitude  of  time,"  and  look  be- 
yond the  past  and  present  cruelties  and  jealousies  of  the 
warring  sects  to  the  shining  age  of  Universal  Brotherhood, 
which  will  mark  the  next  great  step  of  man's  progress  on 
his  long  and  wondrous  journey  from  the  clod  to  the  God, 
from  protoplasm  to  conscious  unity  with  the  Father,  that 

.     .     .     one  far-off,  divine  event 
To  which  the  whole  creation  moves. 

It  may  be  added  that  the  above  mentioned  pastor,  dur- 
ing the  ceremony  of  receiving  his  pupils  into  the  Church, 
taught  them  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  composite  individual ; 
that  Jesus  was  the  mortal,  human  part,  while  Christ  was 
the  divine,  immortal  Spirit.  Presumably,  if  the  matter 
had  been  discussed  with  him,  he  would  not  have  supported 
that  statement,  nevertheless  in  making  it  he  stated  an 
occult  fact. 

THE  STAR  OF  BETHLEHEM. 

The  unifying  influence  of  the  Christ  has  been  symbolized 
in  the  beautiful  legend  of  the  worship  of  the  three  magi, 
or  "wise  men  of  the  East,"  so  skilfully  woven  by  General 
Lew  Wallace  into  his  charming  story,  "Ben  Hur;"  ,  '.; 


CHRIST  AXD  HIS  MISSION  389 

The  three  wise  men — Caspar,  Melchior  and  Balthasar — 
are  the  representatives  of  the  white,  yellow  and  black  Races 
and  symbolize  the  people  of  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  who 
are  all  led  by  The  Star  to  the  World-Savior,  to  Whom 
eventually  "every  knee  shall  bow,"  and  Whom  "every  ( 
tongue  shall  confess";  Who  shall  unite  all  the  scattered 
nations  under  the  Banner  of  Peace  and  Goodwill;  Who 
shall  cause  men  to  "beat  their  words  into  plowshares  and 
their  spears  into  pruning  hooks." 

The  Star  of  Bethlehem  is  said  to  have  appeared  at  the 
time  of  the  birth  of  Jesus,  and  to  have  guided  the  three 
wise  men  to  the  Savior. 

Much  speculation  has  been  indulged  in  as  to  the  nature 
of  this  Star.  Most  material  scientists  have  declared  it  a 
myth,  while  others  have  said  if  it  were  anything  more 
than  a  myth,  it  might  have  been  a  "coincidence" — two 
dead  Suns  might  have  collided  and  caused  a  conflagration. 
Every  mystic,  however,  knows  the  "Star" — yea,  and  the 
"Cross"  also — not  only  as  symbols  connected  with  the  life 
of  Jesus  and  Christ  Jesus,  but  in  his  own  personal  experi- 
ence. Paul  says:  "Until  Christ  be  formed  in  you";  and 
the  mystic,  Angelus  Silesius,  echoes : 

Though  Christ  a  thousand  times  in  Bethlehem  be  born 
And  not  within  thyself,  thy  soul  will  be  forlorn. 
The  Cross  on  Golgotha  thou  lookest  to  in  vain 
Unless  within  thyself  it  be  set  up  again. 

Richard  Wagner  shows  the  intuitional  knowledge  of 
the  artist  when,  to  the  question  of  Parsifal,  "Who  is  The 
Grail?"  Gurnemanz  answers: 

That  tell  we  not; 

But  if  thou  hast  by  Him  been  bidden, 

From  thee  the  truth  will  not  stay  hidden. 

.     .     .     The  land  to  Him  no  path  leads  through, 

And  search  but  severs  from  Hjm  wider 

When  He  Himself  is  not  the  Guider. 


390  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-COXCEPTION 

Under  the  "old  dispensation"  the  path  to  Initiation  was 
not  open.  It  was  for  only  the  chosen  few.  Some  might 
seek  the  path,  but  only  those  who  were  guided  to  the  Tem- 
ples by  the  Hierophants  found  entrance.  Previous  to  the 
advent  of  Christ,  there  was  no  such  sweeping  invitation  as 
"Whosoever  will  may  come." 

At  the  moment  the  blood  flowed  on  Golgotha,  however, 
"the  veil  of  the  Temple  was  rent"  (for  reasons  presently  to 
be  explained),  and  ever  since  that  time,  whosoever  will 
seek  admittance  will  surely  find  it. 

In  the  Temples  of  Mystery  the  Hierophant  taught  his 
pupils  that  there  is  in  the  Sun  a  spiritual,  as  well  as  a 
physical  force.  The  latter  force  in  the  rays  of  the  Sun 
is  the  fecundating  principle  in  nature.  It  causes  the 
growth  of  the  plant  world  and  thereby  sustains  the  animal 
and  human  kingdoms.  It  is  the  upbuilding  energy  which 
is  the  source  of  all  physical  force. 

This  physical,  solar  energy  reaches  its  highest  expres- 
sion in  midsummer,  when  the  days  are  longest  and  the 
nights  are  shortest,  because  the  rays  of  the  Sun  then  fall 
directly  on  the  northern  hemisphere.  At  that  time  the 
spiritual  forces  are  the  most  inactive. 

On  the  other  hand,  in  December,  during  the  long  win- 
ter nights,  the  physical  force  of  the  solar  orb  is  dormant 
and  the  spiritual  forces  reach  their  maximum  degree  of 
activity. 

The  night  between  the  24th  and  the  25th  of  December 
is  The  Holy  Night,  par  excellence,  of  the  entire  year.  The 
Zodiacal  sign  of  the  immaculate  celestial  Virgin  stands 
upon  the  eastern  horizon  near  midnight,  the  Sun  of  the 
New  Year  is  then  born  and  starts  upon  his  journey  from 
the  southernmost  point. toward  the  northern  hemisphere, 
to  save  that  part  of  humanity  (physically)  from  the  dark- 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  391 

ness  and  famine  which  would  inevitably  result  if  he  were 
to  remain  permanently  south  of  the  equator. 

To  the  people  of  the  northern  hemisphere,  where  all 
our  present-day  religions  originated,  the  Sun  is  directly 
below  the  Earth;  and  the  spiritual  influences  are  strong- 
est, in  the  north,  at  midnight  of  the  24th  of  December. 

That  being  the  case,  it  follows  as  a  matter  of  course  that 
it  would  then  be  easiest  for  those  who  wished  to  take  a 
definite  step  toward  Initiation  to  get  in  conscious  touch 
with  the  spiritual  Sun  especially  for  the  first  time. 

Therefore  the  pupils  who  were  ready  for  Initiation  were 
taken  in  hand  by  the  Hierophants  of  the  Mysteries,  and 
by  means  of  ceremonies  performed  in  the  Temple,  were 
raised  to  a  state  of  exaltation  wherein  they  transcended 
physical  conditions.  To  their  spiritual  vision,  the  solid 
Earth  became  transparent  and  they  saw  the  Sun  at  mid- 
night— "The  Star!"  It  was  not  the  physical  Sun  they 
saw  with  spiritual  eyes,  however,  but  the  Spirit  in  the  Sun 
— The  Christ — their  Spiritual  Savior,  as  the  physical  Sun 
was  their  physical  Savior. 

This  is  the  Star  that  shone  on  that  Holy  Night  and 
that  still  shines  for  the  mystic  in  the  darkness  of  night. 
When  the  noise  and  confusion  of  physical  activity  are 
quieted,  he  enters  into  his  closet  and  seeks  the  way  to  the 
King  of  Peace.  The  Blazing  Star  is  ever  there  to  guide 
him  and  his  soul  hears  the  prophetic  song,  "On  earth 
Peace,  Goodwill  toward  men." 

Peace  and  goodwill  to  all,  without  exception;  no  room 
for  one  single  enemy  or  outcast!  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
it  is  hard  to  educate  humanity  to  such  a  high  standard? 
Is  there  any  better  way  to  show  the  beauty  of,  and  the 
necessity  for  peace,  goodwill  and  love  than  by  contrasting 
them  with  the  present  state  of  war,  selfishness  and  hate? 


392  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

The  stronger  the  light,  the  deeper  the  shadow  it  casts. 
The  higher  our  ideals,  the  more  plainly  can  we  see  our 
shortcomings. 

Unfortunately,  at  the  present  stage  of  development,  hu- 
manity is  willing  to  learn  only  by  the  hardest  experience. 
As  a  Eace,  it  must  become  absolutely  selfish  to  feel  the 
bitter  pangs  caused  by  the  selfishness  of  others,  as  one 
must  know  much  sickness  to  be  thoroughly  thankful  for 
health. 

The  religion  miscalled  Christianity  has  therefore  been 
the  bloodiest  religion  known,  not  excepting  Mohammedan- 
ism, which  in  this  respect  is  somewhat  akin  to  our  mal- 
practiced  Christianity.  On  the  battle-field  and  in  the 
Inquisition  innumerable  and  unspeakable  atrocities  have 
been  committed  in  the  name  of  the  gentle  Nazarene.  The 
Sword  and  the  Wine  Cup, — the  perverted  Cross  and  Com- 
munion Chalice — have  been  the  means  by  which  the  more 
powerful  of  the  so-called  Christian  nations  gained  suprem- 
acy over  the  heathen  peoples,  and  even  over  other  but 
weaker  nations  professing  the  same  faith  as  their  con- 
querors. The  most  cursory  reading  of  the  history  of  the 
Graeco-Latin,  Teutonic  and  Anglo-Saxon  Eaces  will  cor- 
roborate this. 

While  man  was  under  the  full  sway  of  Eace-religions 
each  nation  was  an  united  whole.  Individual  interests  were 
willingly  subordinated  to  the  community  interests.  All 
were  "under  the  law."  All  were  members  of  their  respec- 
tive tribes  first,  and  individuals  only  secondarily. 

At  the  present  time  there  is  a  tendency  toward  the  other 
extreme — to  exalt  "self"  above  all  else.  The  result  is  evi- 
dent in  the  economic  and  industrial  problems  that  are 
facing  every  nation  and  clamoring  for  solution. 

The  state  of  development  wherein  every  man  feels  him- 


CHEIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  393 

self  ah  absolutely  separate  unit,  an  Ego,  independently 
pursuing  his  own  course,  is  a  necessary  stage.  The 
national,  tribal  and  family  unity  must  first  be  broken  up 
before  Universal  Brotherhood  can  become  a  fact.  The 
regime  of  Paternalism  has  been  largely  superseded  by  the 
reign  of  Individualism.  We  are  learning  the  evils  of  the 
latter  more  and  more  as  our  civilization  advances.  Our 
unsystematic  method  of  distributing  the  products  of  labor, 
the  rapacity  of  the  few  and  the  exploitation  of  the  many — 
these  social  crimes  result  in  under-consumption,  industrial 
depressions  and  labor  disturbances,  destroying  internal 
peace.  The  industrial  war  of  the  present  day  is  vastly 
more  far-reaching  and  destructive  than  the  military  wars 
of  the  nations. 

THE  HEART  AS  AN  ANOMALY. 

No  lesson,  though  its  truth  may  be  superficially  assented 
to,  is  of  any  real  value  as  an  active  principle  of  the  life 
until  the  heart  has  learned  it  in  longing  and  bitterness, 
and  the  lesson  man  must  so  learn  is  that  what  is  not  bene- 
ficial to  all  can  never  be  truly  beneficial  to  any.  For 
nearly  2,000  years  we  have  lightly  assented  with  our  lips 
that  we  should  govern  our  lives  in  accordance  with  such 
maxims  as,  "Return  good  for  evil."  The  Heart  urges 
mercy  and  love,  but  the  Reason  urges  belligerent  and  re- 
taliatory measures,  if  not  as  revenge,  at  least  as.  a  means 
of  preventing  a  repetition  of  hostilities.  It  is  this  divorce 
of  head  from  heart  that  hinders  the  growth  of  a  true  feel- 
ing of  Universal  Brotherhood  and  the  adoption  of  the 
teachings  of  Christ — the  Lord  of  Love. 

The  mind  is  the  focusing-point  by  means  of  which  the 
Ego  becomes  aware  of  the  material  universe.  As  an  in- 
strument for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  in  those  realms 


394  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  mind  is  invaluable,  but  when  it  arrogates  to  itself  the 
role  of  dictator  as  to  the  conduct  of  man  to  man,  it  is  as 
though  the  lens  should  say  to  an  astronomer  who  was  in 
the  act  of  photographing  the  Sun  through  a  telescope: 
"You  have  me  improperly  focused.  You  are  not  looking 
at  the  Sun  correctly.  I  do  not  think  it  is  good  to  photo- 
graph the  Sun  anyway,  and  I  want  you  to  point  me  at 
Jupiter.  The  rays  of  the  Sun  heat  me  too  much  and  are 
liable  to  damage  me." 

If  the  astronomer  exercises  his  will  and  focuses  the 
telescope  as  he  desires,  telling  it  to  attend  to  its  business 
of  transmitting  the  rays  that  strike  it,  leaving  the  results 
to  him,  the  work  will  proceed  well,  but  if  the  lens  has  the 
stronger  will  anB  the  mechanism  of  the  telescope  is  in 
league  with  it,  the  astronomer  will  be  seriously  hampered 
in  having  to  contend  with  a  refractory  instrument,  and 
the  result  will  be  blurred  pictures,  of  little  or  no  value. 

Thus  it  is  with  the  Ego.  It  works  with  a  threefold 
body,  which  it  controls,  or  should  control  through  the 
mind.  But,  sad  to  say,  this  body  has  a  will  of  its  own  and 
is  often  aided  and  abetted  by  the  mind,  thus  frustrating 
the  purposes  of  the  Ego. 

This  antagonistic  "lower  will"  is  an  expression  of  the 
higher  part  of  the  desire  body.  When  the  division  of  the 
Sun,  Moon  and  Earth  took  place,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
Lemurian  Epoch,  the  more  advanced  portion  of  humanity- 
in-the-making  experienced  a  division  of  the  desire  body 
into  a  higher  and  a  lower  part.  The  rest  of  humanity  did 
likewise  in  the  early  part  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch. 

This  higher  part  of  the  desire  body  became  a  sort  of 
animal-soul.  It  built  the  cerebro-spinal  nervous  system 
and  the  voluntary  muscles,  by  that  means  controlling  the 
lower  part  of  the  threefold  body  until  the  link  of  mind  was 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  395 

given.  Then  the  mind  "coalesced"  with  this  animal-soul 
and  became  a  co-regent. 

The  mind  is  thus  bound  up  in  desire ;  is  enmeshed  in  the 
selfish  lower  nature,  making  it  difficult  for  the  spirit  to 
control  the  body.  The  focusing  mind,  which  should  be  the 
ally  of  the  higher  nature,  is  alienated  by  and  in  league 
with  the  lower  nature — enslaved  by  desire. 

The  law  of  the  Kace-religions  was  given  to  emancipate 
intellect  from  desire.  The  "fear  of  God"  was  pitted  against 
"the  desires  of  the  flesh."  This,  however,  was  not  enough 
to  enable  one  to  become  master  of  the  body  and  secure 
its  willing  co-operation.  It  became  necessary  for  the  spirit 
to  find  in  the  body  another  point  of  vantage,  which  was 
not  under  the  sway  of  the  desire  nature.  All  muscles  are 
expressions  of  the  desire  body  and  a  straight  road  to  the 
capital,  where  the  traitorous  mind  is  wedded  to  desire  and 
reigns  supreme. 

If  the  United  States  were  at  war  with  France,  it  would 
not  land  troops  in  England,  hoping  in  that  way  to  subju- 
gate the  French.  It  would  land  its  soldiers  directly  in 
France,  and  fight  there. 

Like  a  wise  general,  the  Ego  followed  a  similar  course 
of  action.  It  did  not  commence  its  campaign  by  getting 
control  of  one  of  the  glands,  for  they  are  expressions  of 
the  vital  body;  nor  was  it  possible  to  get  control  of  the 
voluntary  muscles,  for  they  are  too  well  garrisoned  by  the 
enemy.  That  part*  of  the  involuntary  muscular  system 
which  is  controlled  by  the  sympathetic  nervous  system 
would  also  be  useless  for  the  purpose.  It  must  get  into  a 
more  direct  touch  with  the  cerebro-spinal  nervous  system. 
To  do  this,  and  secure  a  base  of  operations  in  the  enemy's 
country,  it  must  control  a  muscle  which  is  involuntary,  and 


396  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

yet  connected  with  the  voluntary  nervous  system.  Such  a 
muscle  is  the  heart. 

We  have  previously  spoken  of  the  two  kinds  of  muscles 
— voluntary  and  involuntary.  The  latter  are  formed  in 
lengthwise  stripes  and  are  connected  with  functions  not 
under  the  control  of  the  will,  such  as  digestion,  respiration, 
excretion,  etc.  The  voluntary  muscles  are  those  which 
are  controlled  by  the  will  through  the  voluntary  nervous 
system,  such  as  the  muscles  of  the  hand  and  arm.  They 
are  striped  both  lengthwise  and  crosswise. 

The  above  is  true  of  all  muscles  in  the  body  except  the 
heart,  which  is  an  involuntary  muscle.  Ordinarily,  we 
cannot  control  the  circulation.  Under  normal  conditions 
the  heart-beat  is  a  fixed  quantity,  yet  to  the  bewilderment 
of  physiologists,  the  heart  is  cross-striped  like  a  voluntary 
muscle.  It  is  the  only  organ  in  the  body  exhibiting  this 
peculiarity  but,  sphinx-like,  it  refuses  to  give  material 
scientists  an  answer  to  the  riddle. 

The  occult  scientist  easily  finds  the  answer  in  the  mem- 
ory of  nature.  From  that  record  he  learns  that  when  the 
Ego  first  sought  a  stronghold  in  the  heart,  the  latter  was 
striped  lengthwise  only,  the  same  as  any  other  involuntary 
muscle ;  but  as  the  Ego  gained  more  and  more  control  over 
the  heart,  the  cross-stripes  have  gradually  developed.  They 
are  not  so  numerous  nor  so  well-defined  as  on  the  muscles 
under  the  full  control  of  the  desire  body,  but  as  the  altru- 
istic principles  of  love  and  brotherhood  increase  in  strength 
and  gradually  overrule  the  reason,  which  is  based  in  desire, 
so  will  these  cross-stripes  become  more  numerous  and  more 
marked. 

As  previously  stated,  the  seed-atom  of  the  dense  body 
is  located  in  the  heart  during  life  and  withdrawn  only  at 
death.  The  active  work  of  the  Ego  is  in  the  blood.  Now, 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  397 

if  we  except  the  lungs,  the  heart  is  the  only  organ  in  the 
body  through  which  all  the  blood  passes  in  every  cycle. 

The  blood  is  the  highest  expression  of  the  vital  body, 
for  it  nourishes  the  entire  physical  organism.  It  is  also, 
in  a  sense,  the  vehicle  of  the  subconscious  memory,  and  in 
touch  with  the  Memory  of  Nature,  situated  in  the  highest 
division  of  the  Etheric  Region.  The  blood  carries  the  pic- 
tures of  life  from  ancestors  to  descendants  for  generations, 
where  there  is  a  common  blood,  as  produced  by  inbreeding. 

There  are  in  the  head  three  points,  each  of  which  is 
the  particular  seat  of  one  of  the  three  aspects  of  the  spirit 
(See  diagram  17),  the  second  and  third  aspects  having,  in 
addition,  secondary  vantage  grounds. 

The  desire  body  is  the  perverted  expression  of  the  Ego. 
It  converts  the  "Selfhood"  of  the  spirit  into  "selfishness." 
Selfhood  seeks  not  its  own  at  the  expense  of  others.  Self- 
ishness seeks  gain  regardless  of  others.  The  seat  of  the 
human  spirit  is  primarily  in  the  pineal  gland  and  sec- 
ondarily in  the  brain  and  cerebro-spinal  nervous  system, 
which  control  the  voluntary  muscles. 

The  love  and  unity  in  the  World  of  the  Life  Spirit  find 
their  illusory  counterpart  in  the  Etheric  Region,  to  which 
we  are  correlated  by  the  vital  body,  which  latter  promotes 
sex  love  and  sex  union.  The  life  spirit  has  its  seat  pri- 
marily in  the  pituitary  body  and  secondarily  in  the  heart, 
which  is  the  gateway  of  the  blood  that  nourishes  the 
muscles. 

The  actionless  Divine  Spirit — The  Silent  Watcher — 
finds  its  material  expression  in  the  passive,  inert  and  irre- 
sponsive skeleton  of  the  dense  body,  which  is  the  obedient 
instrument  of  the  other  bodies,  but  has  no  power  to  act 
on  its  own  initiative.  The  Divine  Spirit  has  its  strong- 
hold in  the  impenetrable  point  at  the  root  of  the  nose. 


398  KOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

In  reality  there  is  but  one  spirit,  the  Ego,  but  looking  at 
it  from  the  Physical  World,  it  is  refracted  into  the  three 
aspects,  which  work  as  stated. 

As  the  blood  passes  through  the  heart,  cycle  after  cycle, 
hour  after  hour  all  through  life,  it  engraves  the  pictures 
it  carries  upon  the  seed-atoms  while  they  are  still  fresh, 
thus  making  a  faithful  record  of  the  life  which  is  indelibly 
impressed  on  the  soul  in  the  post  mortem  existence.  It 
is  always  in  closest  touch  with  the  life  spirit,  the  spirit  of 
love  and  unity,  therefore  the  heart  is  the  home  of  altruistic 
love. 

As  these  pictures  pass  inward  to  the  World  of  Life  Spirit, 
in  which  is  the  true  memory  of  nature,  they  do  not  come 
through  the  slow  physical  senses,  but  directly  through  tne 
fourth  ether  contained  in  the  air  we  breathe.  In  the 
World  of  Life  Spirit  the  life  spirit  sees  much  more  clearly 
than  it  can  in  the  denser  Worlds.  In  its  high  home  it  is  in 
touch  with  the  Cosmic  Wisdom  and  in  any  situation  it 
knows  at  once  what  to  do  and  flashes  the  message  of  guid- 
ance and  proper  action  back  to  the  heart,  which  as  in- 
stantaneously flashes  it  on  to  the  brain  through  the  medium 
of  the  pneumo-gastric  nerve,  resulting  in  "first  impres- 
sions"— the  intuitional  impulse,  which  is  always  good, 
because  it  is  drawn  directly  from  the  fountain  of  Cosmic 
Wisdom  and  Love. 

This  is  all  done  so  quickly  that  the  heart  has  control 
before  the  slower  reason  has  had  time  to  "take  in  the  situa- 
tion," as  it  were.  It  is  the  thought  that  a  man  "thinketh 
in  his  heart,"  and  it  is  true  that .  "so  is  he."  Man  is 
inherently  a  virgin  spirit,  good,  noble  and  true  in  every 
respect.  All  that  is  not  good  is  from  the  lower  nature,  that 
illusory  reflection,  the  Ego.  The  virgin  spirit  is  always 
giving  wise  counsel.  If  we  could  only  follow  the  impulses 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION      .  399 

of  the  heart — the  first  thought — Universal  Brotherhood 
would  be  realized  here  and  now. 

But  that  is  just  the  point  where  the  trouble  begins. 
After  the  good  counsel  of  the  first  thought  has  been  given, 
the  brain  begins  to  reason,  with  the  result  that,  in  the 
great  majority  of  cases,  it  dominates  the  heart.  The  tele- 
scope arranges  its  own  focus  and  points  where  it  lists, 
despite  the  astronomer.  The  mind  and  the  desire  body 
frustrate  the  designs  of  the  spirit  by  taking  control  and,  as 
they  lack  the  spirit's  wisdom,  both  spirit  and  body  suffer. 

Physiologists  note  that  certain  areas  of  the  brain  are 
devoted  to  particular  thought  activities  and  phrenologists 
have  carried  this  branch  of  science  still  further.  Now,  it 
is  known  that  thought  breaks  down  and  destroys  nerve 
tissues.  This  and  all  other  waste  of  the  body,  is  replaced 
by  the  blood.  When,  through  the  development  of  the  heart 
into  a  voluntary  muscle,  the  circulation  of  the  blood  finally 
passes  under  the  absolute  control  of  the  unifying  life  spirit 
— the  Spirit  of  Love — it  will  then  be  within  the  power  of 
that  spirit  to  withhold  the  blood  from  those  areas  of  the 
mind  devoted  to  selfish  purposes.  As  a  result,  those  par- 
ticular thought  centers  will  gradually  atrophy. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  will  be  possible  for  the  spirit  to 
increase  the  blood  supply  when  the  mental  activities  are 
altruistic,  and  thus  build  up  the  areas  devoted  to  altruism, 
so  that,  in  time,  the  desire  nature  will  be  conquered  and 
the  mind  emancipated  by  Love  from  its  bondage  to  desire. 
It  is  only  by  complete  emancipation,  through  Love,  that 
man  can  rise  above  the  law  and  become  a  law  unto  himself. 
Having  conquered  himself,  he  will  have  conquered  all  the 
World. 

The  cross-stripes  of  the  heart  may  be  built  by  certain 
exercises  under  occult  training,  but  as  some  of  these  exer- 


400  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

cises  are  dangerous,  they  should  be  undertaken  only  undei 
the  direction  of  a  competent  teacher.  That  no  reader  of 
this  book  may  be  deceived  by  impostors  professing  ability 
and  willingness  to  so  train  aspirants  for  a  consideration, 
it  is  emphatically  repeated  that  No  true  occultist  ever 
boasts,  advertises  his  occult  power,,  sells  occult  information 
or  lessons  at  so  much  each  or  for  a  course;  nor  will  he 
consent  to  a  theatrical  display.  His  work  is  done  in  the 
most  unobtrusive  manner  possible  and  solely  for  the  pur- 
pose of  legitimately  helping  others,  without  thought  of 
self. 

As  said  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  all  persons 
earnestly  desiring  the  higher  knowledge  may  rest  assured 
that  if  they  will  but  seek,  they  will  find  the  way  open  for 
them.  Christ  Himself  prepared  the  way  for  "whosoever 
will."  He  will  help  and  welcome  all  real  seekers,  who  are 
willing  to  work  for  Universal  Brotherhood. 

THE  MYSTERY  OF  GOLGOTHA. 

During  the  last  2,000  years  much  has  been  said  about 
"the  cleansing  blood."  The  blood  of  Christ  has  been 
extolled  from  the  pulpit  as  the  sovereign  remedy  for  sin; 
the  only  means  of  redemption  and  salvation. 

But  if  the  laws  of  Rebirth  and  Consequence  work  in  such 
a  way  that  evolving  beings  reap  as  they  have  sown,  and  if 
the  evolutionary  impulse  is  constantly  bringing  humanity 
higher  and  higher,  ultimately  to  attain  perfection — where 
then  is  the  need  for  redemption  and  salvation?  Even  if 
the  need  existed,  how  can  the  death  of  one  individual  help 
the  rest  ?  Would  it  not  be  nobler  to  suffer  the  consequences 
of  one's  acts  than  to  hide  behind  another  ?  These  are  some 
of  the  objections  to  the  doctrine  of  vicarious  atonement 
and  redemption  by  the  blood  of  Christ  Jesus.  We  will  try 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  401 

to  answer  them  before  showing  the  logical  harmony  be- 
tween the  operation  of  the  law  of  Consequence  and  the 
Atonement  by  Christ. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  absolutely  true  that  the  evolution- 
ary impulse  does  work  to  achieve  ultimate  perfection  for 
all;  yet  there  are  some  who  are  constantly  straggling  be- 
hind. At  the  present  time,  we  have  just  passed  the  extreme 
point  of  materiality  and  are  going  through  the  sixteen 
Races.  We  are  treading  "the  sixteen  paths  to  destruc- 
tion," and  are  consequently  in  graver  danger  of  falling 
behind  than  at  any  other  part  of  the  evolutionary  journey. 

In  the  abstract,  time  is  nothing.  A  number  may  fall 
behind  so  far  that  they  must  be  abandoned,  to  take  up  their 
further  evolution  in  another  scheme,  where  they  can  con- 
tinue their  journey  to  perfection.  Nevertheless  that  was 
not  the  evolution  originally  designed  for  them  and  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  exalted  Intelligences  in  charge, 
of  our  evolution  use  every  means  to  bring  through  in  safety 
as  many  as  possible  of  the  entities  under  their  charge. 

In  ordinary  evolution,  the  laws  of  Rebirth  and  Conse- 
quence are  perfectly  adequate  for  bringing  the  major  por- 
tion of  the  life  wave  up  to  perfection,  but  they  do  not  suffice 
in  the  case  of  the  stragglers,  who  are  lagging  behind  in  the 
various  Races.  During  the  stage  of  individualism,  which 
is  the  climax  of  the  illusion  of  separateness,  all  mankind 
needs  extra  help,  but  for  the  stragglers  some  additional 
special  aid  must  be  provided. 

To  give  that  special  aid,  to  redeem  the  stragglers,  was 
the  mission  of  Christ.  He  said  that  He  came  to  seek  and 
to  save  that  which  was  lost.  He  opened  up  the  way  of 
Initiation  for  all  who  are  willing  to  seek  it. 

Objectors  to  vicarious  atonement  urge:    That  it  is  cow- 


402  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

ardly  to  hide  behind  another;  that  each  man  should  be 
willing  to  take  the  consequence  of  his  acts. 

Let  us  consider  an  analogous  case.  The  waters  of  the 
Great  Lakes  narrow  into  the  Niagara  River.  For  twenty 
miles  this  enormous  volume  of  water  flows  rapidly  toward 
the  falls.  The  river  bed  is  filled  with  rocks  and  i f  a  person 
who  goes  beyond  a  certain  point  does  not  lose  his  life  in  the 
rapids  above  the  cataract,  he  will  surely  do  so  by  the  plunge 
over  the  brink. 

Suppose  a  man  appeared  who,  in  pity  for  the  victims  of 
the  current,  placed  a  rope  above  the  cataract,  although  he 
knew  that  the  conditions  were  such  that  in  doing  so,  he 
himself  could  not  by  any  possible  chance  escape  death.  Yet 
gladly  and  of  his  own  free  will,  he  sacrificed  his  life  and 
placed  the  rope,  thus  modifying  former  conditions  so  that 
any  otherwise  helpless  victims  who  would  grasp  the  rope 
would  be  saved  and  thenceforward  none  need  be  lost. 

What  would  we  think  of  a  man  who  had  fallen  into  the 
water  through  his  own  carelessness,  and  was  struggling 
madly  to  reach  the  shore,  if  he  should  say :  "What !  Save 
myself  and  seek  to  avoid  the  penalty  of  my  carelessness  by 
shielding  myself  behind  the  strength  of  another,  who  suf- 
fered through  no  fault  of  his  own,  and  gave  up  his  life  that 
such  as  I  might  live?  No,  never!  That  would  not  be 
"manly."  I  will  take  my  deserts!"  Would  we  not  all 
agree  that  the  man  was  a  fool  ? 

Not  all  are  in  need  of  salvation.  Christ  knew  that  there 
is  a  very  large  class  who  do  not  require  salvation  in  this 
way,  but  just  as  surely  as  there  are  the  ninety-and-nine 
who  are  well  taken  care  of  by  the  laws  of  Rebirth  and 
Consequence  and  will  reach  perfection  in  that  way,  so  there 
are  the  "sinners"  who  have  become  "bogged"  in  matter  and 
cannot  escape  without  a  rope.  Christ  came  to  save  them 


CHEIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  403 

and  to  bring  peace  and  good  will  to  all,  by  raising  them  to 
the  necessary  point  of  spirituality,  causing  a  change  in 
their  desire  bodies  which  will  make  the  influence  of  the 
life  spirit  in  the  heart  more  potent. 

His  younger  brother  Sun-spirits,  the  Archangels,  had 
worked  as  Race-spirits  on  the  desire  bodies  of  man,  but 
their  work  had  been  from  without.  It  was  simply  a  re- 
flected spiritual  Sun-force  and  came  through  the  Moon — 
as  moonlight  is  reflected  sunlight.  Christ,  the  Chief  Ini- 
tiate of  the  Sun-spirits,  entered  directly  into  the  dense 
body  of  the  Earth  and  brought  the  direct  Sun-force,  thus 
enabling  Him  to  influence  our  desire  bodies  from  within. 

Man  cannot  gaze  long  upon  the  Sun  without  becoming 
blind  because  its  vibrations  are  so  rapid  that  they  destroy 
the  retina  of  the  eye.  But  he  can  look  without  harmful 
results  upon  the  Moon,  the  vibrations  from  which  are  much 
slower ;  yet  they  also  are  sunlight,  but  the  higher  vibrations 
have  been  taken  up  by  the  Moon,  which  then  reflects  the 
residue  to  us. 

So  it  is  with  the  spiritual  impulses  which  help  man  to 
evolve.  The  reason  why  the  Earth  was  thrown  off  from 
the  Sun  was  because  our  humanity  could  not  endure  the 
Sun's  tremendous  physical  and  spiritual  impulses.  Even 
after  an  enormous  distance  had  been  placed  between  Earth 
and  Sun,  the  spiritual  impulse  would  still  have  been  too 
strong  had  it  not  been  sent  first  to  the  Moon,  to  be  used  by 
Jehovah,  the  Eegent  of  the  Moon,  for  man's  benefit.  A 
number  of  Archangels  (ordinary  Sun-spirits)  were  given 
Jehovah  as  helpers  in  reflecting  these  spiritual  impulses 
from  the  Sun  upon  the  humanity  of  the  Earth,  in  the  form 
of  Jehovaistic  or  Race-religions. 

The  lowest  vehicles  of  the  Archangels  is  the  desire  body. 
Our  desire  body  was  added  in  the  Moon  Period,  at  which 


404  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

time  Jehovah  was  the  highest  Initiate.  Therefore  Jehovah 
is  able  to  deal  with  man's  desire  body.  Jehovah's  lowest 
vehicle  is  the  human  spirit  (see  diagram  14)  and  its  coun- 
terpart is  the  desire  body.  The  Archangels  are  His  helpers 
because  they  are  able  to  manage  the  spiritual  Sun-forces 
and  the  desire  body  is  their  lowest  vehicle.  Thus  they  are 
able  to  work  with  and  prepare  humanity  for  the  time  when 
it  can  receive  the  spiritual  impulses  directly  from  the  Solar 
Orb,  without  the  intervention  of  the  Moon. 

Upon  Christ,  as  the  highest  Initiate  of  '"he  Sun  Period, 
is  laid  the  task  of  sending  out  this  impulse.  The  impulse 
which  Jehovah  reflected  was  sent  out  by  Christ,  Who  thus 
prepared  both  the  Earth  and  humanity  for  His  direct 
ingress. 

The  expression,  "prepared  the  Earth,"  means  that  all 
evolution  on  a  planet  is  accompanied  by  the  evolution  of 
that  planet  itself.  Had  some  observer  gifted  with  spiritual 
sight  watched  the  evolution  of  our  Earth  from  some  distant 
star,  he  would  have  notiped  a  gradual  change  taking  place 
in  the  Earth's  desire  body. 

Under  the  old  dispensation  the  desire  bodies  of  people 
in  general  were  improved  by  means  of  the  law.  This  work 
is  still  going  on  in  the  majority  of  people,  who  are  thus 
preparing  themselves  for  the  higher  life. 

The  higher  life  (Initiation)  does  not  commence,  how- 
ever, until  the  work  on  the  vital  body  begins.  The  means 
used  for  bringing  that  into  activity  is  Love,  or  rather 
Altruism.  The  former  word  has  been  so  abused  that  it  no 
longer  conveys  the  meaning  here  required. 

During  the  old  dispensation  the  path  of  Initiation  was 
not  free  and  open,  except  to  the  chosen  few.  The  Hiero- 
phants  of  the  Mysteries  collected  certain  families  about 
the  Temples,  setting  them  apart  from  all  the  other  people. 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  405 

These  chosen  families  were  then  rigorously  guarded  as 
to  certain  rites  and  ceremonies.  Their  marriages  and 
sexual  intercourse  were  regulated  by  the  Hierophants. 

The  effect  of  this  was  to  produce  a  race  Iiaving  the 
proper  degree  of  laxity  between  the  dense  and  vital  bodies ; 
also  to  wake  the  desire  body  from  its  state  of  lethargy  dur- 
ing sleep.  Thus  a  special  few  were  made  fit  for  Initiation 
and  were  given  opportunities  that  could  not  be  given  to  all. 
We  see  instances  of  this  method  among  the  Jews,  where  the 
tribe  of  Levi  were  the  chosen  Templars;  also  in  the  caste 
of  the  Brahmins,  who  were  the  only  priestly  class  among 
the  Hindus. 

The  Mission  of  Christ,  in  addition  to  saving  the  lost,  was 
to  make  Initiation  possible  to  all ;  therefore  Jesus  was  not 
a  Levite  of  the  class  to  which  priesthood  came  by  inherit- 
ance. He  came  from  the  common  people  and,  though 
not  of  the  teacher  class,  His  teaching  was  higher  than 
that  of  Moses. 

Christ  Jesus  did  not  deny  Moses,  the  law,  nor  the 
prophets.  On  the  contrary,  He  acknowledged  them  all  and 
showed  the  people  that  they  were  His  witnesses,  as  they  all 
pointed  to  One  Who  was  to  come.  He  told  the  people  that 
those  things  had  served  their  purpose  and  that  henceforth 
Love  must  supersede  Law. 

Christ  Jesus  was  killed.  In  connection  with  this  fact, 
we  come  to  the  supreme  and  fundamental  difference  be- 
tween Him  and  the  previous  teachers,  in  whom  the  Race- 
spirits  incarnated.  They  all  died  and  must  be  reborn 
again  and  again  to  help  their  peoples  bear  their  destiny. 
The  Archangel  Michael  (the  Race-spirit  of  the  Jews) 
raised  up  Moses,  who  was  taken  up  to  Mount  Nebo  to  die. 
He  was  reborn  as  Elijah.  Elijah  returned  as  John  the 
Baptist;  Buddha  died  and  was  reincarnated  as  Shankara- 


406  ECSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

charya;  Shri  Krishna  says,  "Whenever  there  is  decay  of 
Dharma  .  .  .  and  .  .  .  exaltation  of  Adharma,  then 
I  myself  come  forth  for  the  protection  of  good,  for  the 
destruction  of  evil-doers,  for  the  sake  of  firmly  establishing 
Dharma.  I  am  born  from  age  to  age." 

When  death  came  Moses'  face  shone  and  Buddha's  body 
became  alight.  They  all  reached  the  stage  when  the  spirit 
begins  to  shine  from  within — but  then  they  died. 

Christ  Jesus  reached  that  stage  on  the  Mount  of  Trans- 
figuration. It  is  of  the  very  highest  significance  that 
His  real  work  took  'place  subsequent  to  that  event.  He 
suffered;  was  killed — and  resurrected. 

Being  killed  is  a  very  different  thing  from  dying.  The 
blood  that  had  been  the  vehicle  of  the  Eace-spirit  must 
flow  and  be  cleansed  of  that  contaminating  influence.  Love 
of  father  and  mother,  exclusive  of  other  fathers  and  moth- 
ers, must  go — otherwise  Universal  Brotherhood  and  an 
all-embracing,  Altruistic  Love  could  never  become  an 
actuality. 

THE  CLEANSING  BLOOD. 

When  the  Savior  Christ  Jesus  was  crucified  His  body 
was  pierced  in  five  places;  in  the  five  centers  where  the 
currents  of  the  vital  body  flow;  and  the  pressure  of  the 
crown  of  thorns  caused  a  flow  from  the  sixth  also.  (This 
is  a  hint  to  those  who  already  know  these  currents.  A 
full  elucidation  of  this  matter  cannot  be  publicly  given 
out  at  this  time.) 

When  the  blood  flowed  from  these  centers,  the  great 
Sun-spirit  Christ  was  liberated  from  the  physical  vehicle 
of  Jesus  and  found  Himself  in  the  Earth,  with  individual 
vehicles.  The  already  existing  planetary  vehicles  He  per- 
meated with  His  own  vehicles  and,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 


CHRIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  407 

eye,  diffused  His  own  desire  body  over  the  planet,  which 
has  enabled  Him  thenceforth  to  work  upon  the  Earth  and 
its  humanity  from  within. 

At  that  moment  a  tremendous  wave  of  spiritual  sunlight 
flooded  the  Earth.  It  rent  the  veil  which  the  Race-spirit 
had  hung  before  the  Temple  to  keep  out  all  but  the  chosen 
few,  and  it  made  the  Path  of  Initiation  free  thenceforth 
to  whomsoever  will.  So  far  as  concerned  the  Spiritual 
Worlds,  this  wave  transformed  the  conditions  of  Earth 
like  a  flash  of  lightning,  but  the  dense,  concrete  conditions 
are,  of  course,  much  more  slowly  affected. 

Like  all  rapid  and  high  vibrations  of  light,  this  great 
wave  blinded  the  people  by  its  dazzling  brilliance,  there- 
fore it  was  said  that  "the  Sun  was  darkened."  The  very 
opposite  was  what  actually  occurred.  The  Sun  was  not 
darkened,  but  shone  out  in  glorious  splendor.  It  was  the 
excess  of  light  that  blinded  the  people,  and  only  as  the 
entire  Earth  absorbed  the  desire  body  of  the  bright  Sun- 
spirit  did  the  vibration  return  to  a  more  normal  rate. 

The  expression,  "the  cleansing  blood  of  Christ  Jesus," 
means  that  as  the  blood  flowed  on  Calvary,  it  bore  with  it 
the  great  Sun-spirit  Christ,  Who  by  that  means  secured 
admission  to  the  earth  itself  and  since  that  moment  has 
been  its  Regent.  He  diffused  His  own  desire  body  through- 
out the  planet,  thereby  cleansing  it  from  all  the  vile  influ- 
ences which  had  grown  up  under  the  regime  of  the  Race- 
spirit. 

Under  the  law  all  sinned;  nay,  more — they  could  not 
help  it.  They  had  not  evolved  to  where  they  could  do 
right  for  Love's  sake.  The  desire  nature  was  so  strong  that 
it  was  an  impossibility  for  them  to  rule  it  altogether,  there- 
fore their  debts,  engendered  under  the  law  of  Consequence, 
piled  up  to  monstrous  proportions.  Evolution  would  have 


408  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

been  terribly  delayed  and  many  lost  to  our  life  wave 
altogether  if  some  help  had  not  been  given. 

Therefore  did  Christ  come  "to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost."  He  took  away  the  sin  of  the  world  by 
His  cleansing  blood,  which  gave  Him  entrance  to  the 
Earth  and  its  humanity.  He  purified  the  conditions  and 
we  owe  it  to  Him  that  we  are  able  to  gather  for  our  desire 
bodies  purer  desire-stuff  than  formerly,  and  He  continues 
working  to  help  us,  by  making  our  external  environment 
constantly  purer. 

That  this  was  and  is  done  at  the  expense  of  great  suf- 
fering to  Himself,  no  one  can  doubt  who  is  able  to  form 
the  least  conception  of  the  limitations  endured  by  that 
Great  Spirit  in  entering  the  hampering  conditions  of 
physical  existence,  even  in  the  best  and  purest  vehicle  pos- 
sible ;  nor  is  His  present  limitation  as  Regent  of  the  Earth 
much  less  painful.  True,  He  is  also  Regent  of  the  Sun, 
and  therefore  only  partially  confined  to  the  Earth,  yet  the 
limitations  set  by  the  crampingly  slow  vibrations  of  our 
dense  planet  must  be  almost  unendurable. 

Had  Christ  Jesus  simply  died,  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible for  Him  to  have  done  this  work,  but  the  Christians 
have  a  risen  Savior ;  One  Who  is  ever  present  to  help  those 
who  call  upon  His  Name.  Having  suffered  like  unto  our- 
selves in  all  things  and  knowing  fully  our  needs,  He  is 
lenient  toward  our  mistakes  and  failures  so  long  as  we 
continue  trying  to  live  the  good  life.  We  must  ever  keep 
before  our  eyes  the  fact  that  the  only  real  failure  is  ceasing 
to  try. 

Upon  the  death  of  the  dense  body  of  Christ  Jesus,  the 
other  vehicles  were  returned  to  the  original  owner,  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  who  for  some  time  afterward,  while  function- 
ing in  a  vital  body  which  he  had  gathered  temporarily, 


CHKIST  AND  HIS  MISSION  409 

taught  the  nucleus  of  the  new  faith  which  Christ  had  left 
behind.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  has  since  had  the  guidance  of 
the  esoteric  branches  which  sprang  up  all  over  Europe. 

In  many  places  the  Knights  of  the  Round  Table  were 
high  Initiates  in  the  Mysteries  of  the  New  Dispensation. 
So  were  the  Knights  of  The  Grail — to  whom  was  finally 
confided  Joseph  of  Arimathea's  Grail  Cup,  which  was  used 
by  Christ  Jesus  at  The  Last  Supper.  They  were  after- 
ward entrusted  also  with  the  Lance  which  pierced  His 
side,  and  the  receptacle  which  received  the  blood  from  the 
wound. 

The  Druids  of  Ireland  and  the  Trottes  of  Northern 
Eussia  were  esoteric  schools  through  which  the  Master 
Jesus  worked  during  the  so-called  "Dark  Ages,"  but,  dark 
though  they  were,  the  spiritual  impulse  spread,  and  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  occult  scientist  they  were  "Bright 
Ages"  compared  to  the  growing  materialism  of  the  last 
300  years,  which  has  increased  physical  knowledge  im- 
mensely, but  has  almost  extinguished  the  Light  of  the 
Spirit. 

Tales  of  "The  Grail,"  "Knights  of  The  Round  Table," 
etc.,  are  now  scouted  as  superstitions  and  all  that  cannot 
be  materially  demonstrated  is  regarded  as  unworthy  of 
belief.  Glorious  as  are  the  discoveries  of  modern  science, 
they  have  been  bought  at  the  terrible  price  of  crushing  the 
spiritual  intuition  and,  from  a  spiritual  standpoint,  no 
darker  day  than  the  present  has  ever  dawned. 

The  Elder  Brothers,  Jesus  among  them,  have  striven 
and  are  striving  to  counteract  this  terrible  influence,  which 
is  like  that  in  the  eyes  of  the  snake,  causing  the  bird  to 
fall  into  its  jaws.  Every  attempt  to  enlighten  the  people 
and  awaken  in  them  a  desire  to  cultivate  the  spiritual  side 
of  life,  is  an  evidence  of  the  activity  of  the  Elder  Brothers. 


410 


ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 


May  their  efforts  be  crowned  with  success  and  speed  the 
day  when  modern  science  shall  be  spiritualized  and  con- 
duct its  investigations  of  matter  from  the  standpoint  of 
spirit,  for  then,  and  not  until  then,  will  it  arrive  at  a  true 
knowledge  of  the  world. 

"As  ABOVE,  So  BELOW." 


POSITIVE 


GPOUP      NO. 


I 


COM  BIN  INC  CAPACITY 


R2O 


D  O 


ATOMIC  .WEIGHT 


L  1.7 


QL.9 


B.10.9 


C.  12 


N.    \4r 


O.  16 


FL.  19 


DENSITY 


S.V 


M8 
I.  fS 


£.06 


1-84- 


The  world,  the  man  and  the  atom  are  governed  by  the  same 
law.  Our  dense  earth  is  now  in  its  4TH  stage  of  consolidation. 
The  mind,  the  desire  body  and  the  vital  body  are  less  solid  than 
our  4TH  vehicle,  the  dense  body.  In  the  atomic  weight  of  the 
chemical  elements  there  is  a  similar  arrangement.  The  4TH 
group  marks  the  acme  of  density. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  AND  INITIATION. 
The  Seven  Days  of  Creation. 

THE  Rosicrucian  speaks  of  the  Earth  Period  as  Mars- 
Mercury.     The  great  creative  Day  of  Manifesta- 
tion is  embodied  in  the  names  of  the  days  of  the 
week,  for  our  week-days  have  been  named  after  the  evolu- 
tionary stages  through  which  the  virgin  spirits  pass  in 
their  pilgrimage  through  matter. 

Day.  Corresponds   to    the  Is  ruled  by 

Saturday    Saturn  Period Saturn 

Sunday    Sun    Period The   Sun 

Monday    Moon    Period The   Moon 

Tuesday    First  half  of  the  Earth  Period Mars 

Wednesday    ....  Second  half  of  the  Earth  Period. .  . .  Mercury 

Thursday    Jupiter    Period Jupiter 

Friday    .Venus    Period Venus 

The  Vulcan  Period  is  the  last  Period  of  our  scheme  of 
evolution.  The  quintessence  of  all  the  preceding  Periods 
is  extracted  by  the  recapitulation  of  spiral  after  spiral. 
No  new  work  is  done  until  the  very  last  Revolution  on  the 
very  last  Globe  and  then  only  in  the  Seventh  Epoch. 
Therefore  the  Vulcan  Period  may  be  said  to  correspond  to 
the  week,  which  includes  all  of  the  seven  days. 

The  claim  of  astrologers  that  the  days  of  the  week  are 
ruled  by  the  particular  planet  for  which  they  are  named, 
is  well-founded.  The  ancients  were  also  familiar  with  this 
occult  knowledge,  as  is  shown  in  their  mythologies,  in 

411 


412  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

which  the  names  of  the  gods  are  associated  with  the  days 
of  the  week.  Saturday  is  plainly  "Saturn's  day" ;  Sunday 
is  correlated  to  the  Sun,  and  Monday  to  the  Moon.  The 
Latins  call  Tuesday  "Dies  Martis,"  which  obviously  shows 
its  connection  with  Mars,  the  god  of  war.  The  name 
"Tuesday"  is  derived  from  "Tirsdag,"  "Tir"  or  "Tyr," 
being  the  name  of  the  Norse  god  of  war.  "Wednesday" 
was  "Wotensday,"  from  Woten,  also  a  Norse  god;  it  is 
called  "Dies  Mercurii"  by  the  Latins,  showing  its  associa- 
tion with  Mercury,  as  given  in  our  list. 

Thursday,  or  "Thorsdag,"  is  named  for  "Thor,"  the 
Norse  god  of  thunder,  and  is  called  "Dies  Jovis"  by  the 
Latins,  after  the  thunder  gods,  "Jove"  and  "Jupiter." 

Friday  is  named  for  the  Norse  goddess  of  beauty, 
"Freya,"  and  for  similar  reasons,  the  Latins  call  it  "Dies 
Veneris,"  or  Day  of  Venus. 

These  names  of  Periods  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
physical  planets,  but  refer  to  past,  present  or  future  in- 
carnations of  the  Earth;  for,  again  applying  the  Hermetic 
axiom,  "As  above,  so  below,"  the  macrocosm  must  have  its 
incarnations  as  well  as  the  microcosm,  man. 

Occult  science  teaches  that  there  are  777  incarnations, 
but  that  does  not  mean  that  the  Earth  undergoes  777 
metamorphoses.    It  means  that  evolving  life  makes 
7  Eevolutions  around  the 
7  Globes  of  the 
7  World  Periods. 

This  pilgrimage  of  Involution  and  Evolution,  including 
the  "short  cut"  of  Initiation,  is  embodied  in  the  Caduceus, 
or  "Staff  of  Mercury"  (see  diagram  15),  so  called  because 
this  occult  symbol  indicates  The  Path  of  Initiation,  which 
has  been  open  to  man  only  since  the  beginning  of  the 
Mercury  half  of  the  Earth  Period.  Some  of  the  lesser 


DIAGRAM  15 


THE  SEVEN  DAYS  OF  CREATION 

AND 

THE  FOUR  GREAT  INITIATIONS 


ORDINARY     HUMANITY      PURSUES  THE   SPIRAL  PATH 
THE  INITIATE  GOES  THE  STRAIGHT  AND  NARROW  WAY  THAT  LEADS 


SATURN -PERIOD 

(SATURDAY) 

VIOLET 


VENUS-PERIOD 

(FRIDAY) 

RED 


MOON -PERIOD 

(MONDAY) 

BLUE 


EARTH  - 

MERCURY -HALF 
(WEOH£50AY)-YELLOW 


VULCAN-PERIOD 

THEWECK 

(EMBRACING  AUTHC  Mfl) 

WHITE 
(INCLUDING  AUTHCCXWs) 

SUN -PERIOD 

(SUNDAY) 

INDIGO 


JUPITER- PERIOD 
(THURSDAY) 
ORANGE 


-  PERIOD 

MARS  -  HALF 
(TUESDAY  )  GREEN 


THE  WAYOF  INITIATION 
THERE  WAS  NO  INITIATION  PRIOR  TO  THE  END  of  THE 

MARS    HALF   OF    THE    EART  H  PERIOD  .  THE.    LEASER    MYS- 
TERIES EMBRACE   HUMAN  EVOLTION  IN  THE  MERCURY 

HALF     OF      THE      EARTH -P6RIOD 


414  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

mysteries  were  given  to  the  earlier  Lemurians  and  Atlan- 
teans,  but  not  the  Four  Great  Initiations. 

The  black  serpent  on  diagram  15  indicates  the  winding, 
cyclic  path  of  Involution,  comprising  the  Saturn,  Sun  and 
Mood  Periods,  and  the  Mars  half  of  the  Earth  Period, 
during  which  the  evolving  life  built  its  vehicles,  not  be- 
coming fully  awake  and  clearly  conscious  of  the  outside 
world  until  the  latter  part  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch. 

The  white  serpent  represents  the  path  that  the  human 
race  will  follow  through  the  Mercury  half  of  the  Earth 
Period,  and  the  Jupiter,  Venus,  and  Vulcan  Periods,  dur- 
ing which  pilgrimage  man's  consciousness  will  expand  into 
that  of  an  omniscient,  Creative  Intelligence. 

The  serpentine  path  is  the  path  followed  by  the  great 
majority;  but  the  "Staff  of  Mercury,"  around  which  the 
serpents  twine,  shows  the  "straight  and  narrow  way,"  the 
path  of  Initiation,  which  enables  those  who  walk  therein 
to  accomplish  in  a  few  short  lives  that  which  it  requires 
millions  of  years  for  the  majority  of  mankind  to  accom- 
plish. 

It  need  scarcely  be  said  that  no  description  of  the  initia- 
tory ceremonies  can  be  given,  as  the  first  vow  of  the  Ini- 
tiate is  silence;  but  even  if  permissible,  it  would  not  be 
important.  What  concerns  us  in  getting  a  bird's-eye  view 
of  the  evolutionary  path  is  to  ascertain  the  results  of  the 
ceremonies. 

The  whole  result  of  initiation  is  to  give  to  the  spiritually 
aspiring  an  opportunity  to  develop  the  higher  faculties 
and  powers  in  a  short  time  and  by  severe  training,  thereby 
gaining  the  expansion  of  consciousness  that  all  mankind 
will  surely  possess  eventually,  but  which  the  vast  majority 
choose  to  acquire  through  the  slow  process  of  ordinary  evo- 
lution. We  may  know  the  states  of  consciousness  and 


FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  415 

their  concomitant  powers  attained  by  the  candidate  as  he 
passes  through  successive  great  Initiations,  provided  we 
know  what  those  future  states  and  powers  will  be  for  hu- 
manity in  general.  Some  hints  have  been  given  and  more 
may  be  logically  deduced  by  an  application  of  the  law  of 
Correspondences,  to  give  a  fairly  rounded  picture  of  the 
evolution  in  store  for  all  of  us,  and  the  magnitude  of  the 
great  steps  in  Initiation.  To  do  this  it  may  help  us  to 
glance  back  over  the  steps  by  which  the  consciousness  of 
man  has  been  evolved  through  the  various  Periods. 

We  remember  that  during  the  Saturn  Period  the  uncon- 
sciousness of  man  was  similar  to  that  of  the  dense  body 
when  plunged  into  the  deepest  trance  condition;  this  was 
succeeded,  in  the  Sun  period,  by  a  dreamless-sleep  con- 
sciousness. In  the  Moon  Period  the  first  glimmering  of 
waking  showed  itself  in  inward  pictures  of  outward  things. 
The  entire  consciousness  consisted  of  such  inward  repre- 
sentations of  external  objects,  colors,  or  sounds.  At  last, 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch,  this  picture- 
consciousness  gave  way  to  the  present  full  waking-con- 
sciousness, in  which  objects  could  be  observed  outside, 
clearly  and  distinctly  outlined  in  space.  When  this  objec- 
tive-consciousness was  attained,  man  became  aware  of  an 
outside  world  and  for  the  first  time  thoroughly  realized 
the  difference  between  "self"  and  "others."  He  then  real- 
ized his  separatcness  and  thenceforth  the  "I"  consciousness, 
Egoism,  became  paramount.  As  previous  to  that  time 
there  had  been  no  thoughts  nor  ideas  dealing  with  an  out- 
side world,  there  had  consequently  been  no  memory  of 
events. 

The  change  from  the  internal  picture  consciousness  to 
the  objective-self-consciousness  was  effected  by  a  very  slow 
process,  commensurate  with  its  magnitude,  lasting  from 


416  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

the  existence  on  Globe  C  in  the  third  Eevolution  of  the 
Moon  Period,  until  the  latter  part  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch. 

During  that  time  the  evolving  life  passed  through  four 
great  stages  of  animal-Ztfce  development  before  reaching  the 
human  stage.  These  steps  of  the  past  correspond  to  four 
stages  yet  to  be  passed  through,  and  to  the  four  initiations. 

Within  these  four  stages  of  consciousness  previously 
passed  there  are  altogether  thirteen  steps,  and  from  man's 
present  state  to  the  last  of  the  Great  Initiations  there  are 
also  thirteen  initiations — the  nine  degrees  of  the  lesser 
mysteries  and  the  four  Great  Initiations. 

There  is  a  similar  division  among  our  present  animals 
which  can  be  traced  through  Form,  because,  as  the  form 
is  the  expression  of  the  life,  so  each  step  in  its  development 
must  necessarily  show  a  step  forward  in  consciousness. 

Cuvier  was  the  first  to  divide  the  animal  kingdom  into 
four  primary  classes,  but  was  not  so  successful  in  his  divi- 
sion of  these  classes  into  sub-classes.  The  embryologist, 
Karl  Ernst  von  Baer,  also  Professor  Agassiz  and  other 
scientists,  classify  the  animal  kingdom  into  four  primary 
and  thirteen  subdivisions,  as  follows: 

i     RADIATES: 

1 — Polyps,  Sea-anemones  and   Coral. 
2 — Acalephs,  or  Jelly-fish. 
3 — Starfish,  Sea-urchins. 

II  MOLLUSKS : 

4 — Acephala   (oysters,  etc.). 
5 — Gasteropoda   (snails). 
6 — Cephalopoda. 

III  ARTICULATES: 

7 — Worms. 

8 — Crustacea   (lobsters,  etc.). 

9 — Insects. 

IV  VERTEBRATES: 

10 — Fishes. 
11 — Reptiles. 
12— Birds. 
13 — Mammals. 


FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  417 

The  first  three  divisions  correspond  to  the  remaining 
three  Revolutions  of  the  Mercury  half  of  the  Earth  Period, 
and  their  nine  steps  correspond  to  the  nine  degrees  of  the 
lesser  mysteries,  which  will  have  been  taken  by  humanity 
in  general  when  it  has  reached  the  middle  of  the  last 
Revolution  of  the  Earth  Period. 

The  fourth  division  in  the  list  of  the  advancing  animal 
kingdom  has  four  subdivisions:  Fishes,  Reptiles,  Birds, 
and  Mammals.  The  steps  in  consciousness  thus  indicated 
correspond  to  similar  states  of  advancement  to  be  attained 
by  humanity  at  the  end  of  the  Earth,  Jupiter,  Venus,  and 
Vulcan  Periods  and  which  any  qualified  individual  may 
now  attain  by  initiation.  The  first  of  the  Great  Initiations 
gives  the  stage  of  consciousness  which  will  be  attained  by 
ordinary  humanity  at  the  end  of  the  Earth  Period;  the 
second  that  to  which  all  will  attain  at  the  end  of  the 
Jupiter  Period ;  the  third  gives  the  extension  of  conscious- 
ness to  be  reached  at  the  close  of  the  Venus  Period;  the 
last  brings  to  the  initiate  the  power  and  omniscience  to 
which  the  majority  will  attain  only  at  the  end  of  the  Vul- 
can Period. 

The  Objective-Consciousness  by  which  we  obtain  knowl- 
edge of  the  outside  world  is  dependent  upon  what  we 
perceive  through  the  medium  of  the  senses.  This  we  call 
"real,"  in  contradistinction  to  our  thoughts  and  ideas 
which  come  to  us  through  our  inner  consciousness;  their 
reality  is  not  apparent  to  us  in  the  same  way  as  that  of 
a  book  or  table,  or  other  visible  or  tangible  object  in  space. 
Thoughts  and  ideas  seem  misty  and  unreal,  therefore  we 
speak  of  a  "mere"  thought,  or  of  "just"  an  idea. 

The  ideas  and  thoughts  of  today,  however,  have  an  evo- 
lution before  them;  they  are  destined  to  become  as  real, 
clear  and  tangible  as  any  of  the  objects  of  the  outside 


418  ROSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

world  which  we  now  perceive  through  the  physical  senses. 
At  present,  when  a  thing  or  a  color  is  thought  of,  the  pic- 
ture or  color  presented  by  the  memory  to  our  inner  con- 
sciousness is  but  a  dim  and  shadowy  one  compared  with 
the  thing  thought  of., 

As  early  as  the  J.upiter  Period  there  will  be  a  marked 
change  in  this  respect.  Then  the  dream-pictures  of  the 
Moon  Period  will  return,  but  they  will  be  subject  to  the 
call  of  the  thinker,  and  not  mere  reprodiictions  of  outer 
objects.  Thus  there  will  be  a  combination  of  the  pictures 
of  the  Moon  Period  and  the  thoughts  and  ideas  consciously 
developed  during  the  Earth  Period,  that  is,  it  will  be  a 
Self -Conscious  Picture-Consciousness. 

When  a  man  of  the  Jupiter  Period  says  "red,"  or  speaks 
the  name  of  an  object,  a  clear  and  exact  reproduction  of 
the  particular  shade  of  red  of  which  he  is  thinking,  or  of 
the  object  to  which  he  refers,  will  be  presented  to  his  inner 
vision  and  will  also  be  quite  visible  to  the  hearer.  There 
will  be  no  misconception  as  to  what  is  meant  by  the  words 
spoken.  Thoughts  and  ideas  will  be  alive  and  visible, 
therefore  hypocrisy  and  flattery  will  be  entirely  eliminated. 
People  can  be  seen  exactly  as  they  are.  There  will  be 
both  good  and  bad,  but  the  two  qualities  will  not  be  min- 
gled in  the  same  person.  There  will  be  the  thoroughly 
good  man  and  the  downright  evil  man,  and  one  of  the 
serious  problems  of  that  time  will  be  how  to  deal  with 
the  latter.  The  Manichees,  an  Order  of  still  higher  spiritu- 
ality than  the  Rosicrucians,  are  at  present  studying  that 
very  problem.  An  idea  of  the  condition  anticipated  may 
be  gained  from  a  short  resume  of  their  legend.  (All 
mystic  orders  have  a  legend  symbolical  of  their  ideals  and 
aspirations.) 

In  the  legend  of  the  Manichees  there  are  two  kingdoms 


FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  419 

—that  of  the  Light-Elves  and  that  of  the  Night-Elves. 
The  latter  attack  the  former,  are  defeated  and  must  be 
punished.  But,  as  the  Light-Elves  are  as  thoroughly  good 
as  the  Night-Elves  are  bad,  they  cannot  inflict  evil  upon 
their  foes,  so  they  must  be  punished  with  Good.  There- 
fore a  part  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Light-Elves  is  incor- 
porated with  that  of  the  Night-Elves  and  in  this  way  the 
evil  is  in  time  overcome.  Hate  which  will  not  submit  to 
hate,  must  succumb  to  Love. 

The  internal  pictures  of  the  Moon  Period  were  a  cer- 
tain expression  of  man's  external  environment.  In  the 
Jupiter  Period  the  pictures  will  be  expressed  from  within ; 
they  will  be  an  outcome  of  the  inner  life  of  the  man.  He 
will  also  possess  the  additional  faculty,  which  he  cultivated 
in  the  Earth  Period,  of  seeing  things  in  space  outside  of 
himself.  In  the  Moon  Period  he  did  not  see  the  concrete 
thing,  but  only  its  soul-qualities.  In  the  Jupiter  Period 
he  will  see  both,  and  will  thus  have  a  thorough  perception 
and  understanding  of  his  surroundings.  At  a  later  stage 
in  the  same  Period,  this  perceptive  ability  will  be  suc- 
ceeded by  a  still  higher  phase.  His  power  to  form  clear 
mental  conceptions  of  colors,  objects,  or  tones  will  enable 
him  to  contact  and  influence  supersensuous  beings  of  vari- 
ous orders  and  to  secure  their  obedience,  employing  their 
forces  as  he  wishes.  He  will  be  unable  to  send  out  from 
himself  the  forces  wherewith  to  carry  out  his  designs,  how- 
ever, and  will  be  dependent  upon  the  help  of  these  super- 
physical  beings,  who  will  then  be  at  his  service. 

At  the  close  of  the  Venus  Period  he  will  be  able  to  use 
his  own  force  to  give  his  pictures  life  and  to  set  them  out 
from  himself  as  objects  in  space.  He  will  then  possess  an 
Objective,  Self -Conscious,  Creative-Consciousness. 

Very  little  can  be  said  about  the  high  spiritual  con- 


420  ROSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

sciousness  which  will  be  attained  at  the  close  of  the  Vulcan 
Period;  it  would  be  quite  beyond  our  present  comprehen- 
sion. 

SPIRALS  WITHIN  SPIRALS. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  these  states  of  conscious- 
ness commence  at  the  beginning  of  the  Periods  to  which 
they  belong  and  last  until  the  end.  There  is  always  the 
Recapitulation,  and  therefore  there  must  be  the  corre- 
sponding stages  of  consciousness  on  an  ascending  scale. 
The  Saturn  Eevolution  of  any  Period,  the  stay  on  Globe 
A,  and  the  first  Epoch  on  any  Globe,  are  repetitions  of 
the  Saturn  Period  states  of  development.  The  Sun  Eevo- 
lution, the  stay  on  Globe  B,  and  the  second  Epoch  on  any 
Globe  are  Eecapitulations  of  the  Sun  Period  states  of  de- 
velopment, and  so  on,  all  the  way  through.  Hence  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  consciousness  which  is  to  be  the  especial 
and  peculiar  result  or  product  of  any  Period,  does  not 
begin  to  be  evolved  until  all  the  Eecapitulations  have  been 
made.  The  waking-consciousness  of  the  Earth  Period  was 
not  started  until  the  Fourth  Eevolution,  when  the  life 
wave  had  reached  the  Fourth  Globe  (D),  and  was  in  the 
Fourth  or  Atlantean  Epoch  on  that  Globe. 

The  Jupiter  consciousness  will  not  start  in  the  Jupiter 
Period  until  the  Fifth  Eevolution,  when  the  Fifth  Globe 
(E)  has  been  reached  and  the  Fifth  Epoch  commences 
on  that  Globe. 

Correspondingly,  the  Venus  consciousness  will  not  begin 
until  the  Sixth  Eevolution  has  come  to  the  Sixth  Globe 
and  Epoch,  and  the  special  Vulcan  work  will  be  confined 
to  the  very  last  Globe  and  Epoch,  just  before  the  Day  of 
Manifestation  closes. 

The  time  required  for  passing  through  these  respective 


FUTUKE  DEVELOPMENT  421 

Periods  varies  greatly.  The  further  into  matter  the  virgin 
spirits  descend,  the  slower  their  progress  and  the  more 
numerous  the  steps  or  stages  of  progression.  After  the 
nadir  of  material  existence  has  been  passed  and  the  life 
wave  ascends  into  more  tenous  and  mobile  conditions,  the 
progress  is  gradually  accelerated.  The  Sun  Period  is  of 
somewhat  longer  duration  than  the  Saturn  Period,  and  the 
Moon  Period  is  longer  than  the  Sun  Period.  The  Mars 
(or  first)  half  of  the  Earth  Period  is  the  longest  half  of 
any  Period.  Then  the  time  begins  to  shorten  again,  so 
that  the  Mercury  half  of  the  Earth  Period,  the  latter 
three  and  a  half  Revolutions,  will  occupy  less  time  than 
the  Mars  half;  the  Jupiter  Period  will  be  shorter  than  the 
Moon  Period;  the  Venus  Period  shorter  than  the  corre- 
sponding Sun  Period;  and  the  Vulcan  Period  the  shortest 
Period  of  them  all. 

The  states  of  consciousness  of  the  different  Periods  may 
be  tabulated  as  follows: 

Period  Corresponding  consciousness 

Saturn    Unconsciousness  corresponding  to  deep  trance 

Sun    Unconsciousness  resembling  dreamless  sleep 

Moon    Picture  consciousness  corresponding  to  dream  state 

Earth     Waking,  objective  consciousness 

Jupiter    Self-conscious  picture  consciousness 

Venus    Objective,  Self-conscious,  Creative  consciousness 

Vulcan    Highest  Spiritual  Consciousness 

Having  taken  a  general  survey  of  the  states  of  conscious- 
ness to  be  developed  in  the  next  three  and  a  half  Periods, 
we  will  now  study  the  means  of  attainment. 

ALCHEMY  AND  SOUL-GROWTH. 

The  dense  body  was  started  in  the  Saturn  Period,  passed 
through  various  transformations  in  the  Sun  and  Moon 


422  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Periods,  and  will  reach  its  highest  development  in  the 
Earth  Period. 

The  vital  body  was  started  in  the  second  Revolution  of 
the  Sun  Period,  was  reconstructed  in  the  Moon  and  Earth 
Periods,  and  will  reach  perfection  in  the  Jupiter  Period, 
which  is  its  fourth  stage,  as  the  Earth  Period  is  the  fourth 
stage  for  the  dense  body. 

The  desire  body  was  started  in  the  Moon  period,  recon- 
structed in  the  Earth  period,  will  be  further  modified  in 
the  Jupiter  Period,  reaching  perfection  in  the  Venus 
Period. 

The  mind  was  started  in  the  Earth  Period,  will  be  modi- 
fied in  the  Jupiter  and  Venus  Periods,  and  attain  to  per- 
fection in  the  Vulcan  Period. 

Reference  to  diagram  8  will  show  that  the  lowest  Globe 
of  the  Jupiter  Period  is  located  in  the  Etheric  Region.  It 
would  therefore  be  impossible  to  use  the  dense  physical 
vehicle  there,  as  only  a  vital  body  can  be  used  in  the 
Etheric  Region.  Yet  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  after 
spending  the  time  from  the  beginning  of  the  Saturn 
Period  to  the  end  of  the  Earth  Period  in  completing  and 
perfecting  this  body,  it  is  then  thrown  away  that  man 
may  function  in  a  "higher"  vehicle ! 

Nothing  in  Nature  is  wasted.  In  the  Jupiter  Period 
the  forces  of  the  dense  body  will  be  superimposed  upon 
the  completed  vital  body.  That  vehicle  will  then  possess 
the  powers  of  the  dense  body  in  addition  to  its  own  facul- 
ties, and  will  therefore  be  a  much  more  valuable  instru- 
ment for  the  expression  of  the  threefold  spirit  than  if 
built  from  its  own  forces  alone. 

Similarly,  Globe  D  of  the  Venus  Period  is  located  in 
the  Desire  World  (see  diagram  8),  hence  neither  a  dense 
nor  a  vital  body  could  be  used  as  an  instrument  of  con- 


FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  423 

sciousness,  therefore  the  essences  of  the  perfected  dense 
and  vital  bodies  are  incorporated  in  the  completed  desire 
body,  the  latter  thus  becoming  a  vehicle  of  transcendent 
qualities,  marvelously  adaptable  and  so  responsive  to  the 
slightest  wish  of  the  indwelling  spirit  that  in  our  present 
limitations,  it  is  beyond  our  utmost  conception. 

Yet  the  efficiency  of  even  this  splendid  vehicle  will  be 
transcended  when  in  the  Vulcan  period  its  essence,  to- 
gether with  the  essences  of  the  dense  and  vital  bodies,  are 
added  to  the  mind  body,  which  becomes  the  highest  of 
man's  vehicles,  containing  within  itself  the  quintessence 
of  all  that  was  best  in  all  the  vehicles.  The  vehicle  of  the 
Venus  Period  being  beyond  our  present  power  of  concep- 
tion, how  much  more  so  is  that  which  will  be  at  the  service 
of  the  divine  beings  of  the  Vulcan  Period ! 

During  involution  the  creative  Hierarchies  assisted  man 
to  arouse  into  activity  the  threefold  spirit,  the  Ego,  to 
build  the  threefold  body,  and  to  acquire  the  link  of  mind. 
Now,  however,  on  the  seventh  day  (to  use  the  language 
of  the  Bible),  God  rests.  Man  must  work  out  his  own 
salvation.  The  threefold  spirit  must  complete  the  working 
out  of  the  plan  begun  by  the  Gods. 

The  human  spirit,  which  was  awakened  during  Involu- 
tion in  the  Moon  Period,  will  be  the  most  prominent  of 
the  three  aspects  of  the  spirit  in  the  evolution  of  the 
Jupiter  Period,  which  is  the  corresponding  Period  on  the 
upward  arc  of  the  spiral.  The  life  spirit,  which  was 
started  into  activity  in  the  Sun  Period,  will  manifest  its 
principal  activity  in  the  corresponding  Venus  Period,  and 
the  particular  influences  of  the  Divine  Spirit  will  be  strong- 
est in  the  Vulcan  Period,  because  it  was  vivified  in  the 
corresponding  Saturn  Period. 

All  three  aspects  of  the  spirit  are  active  all  the  time 


424  BOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

during  evolution,  but  the  principal  activity  of  each  aspect 
will  be  unfolded  in  those  particular  Periods,  because  the 
work  to  be  done  there  is  its  special  work. 

When  the  threefold  spirit  had  evolved  the  threefold  body 
and  gained  control  of  it  through  the  focus  of  Mind,  it 
commenced  to  evolve  the  threefold  soul  by  working  from 
within.  How  much  or  how  little  soul  a  man  has  depends 
upon  the  amount  of  work  the  spirit  has  done  in  the  bodies. 
This  has  been  explained  in  the  chapter  describing  post 
mortem  experiences. 

As  much  of  the  desire  body  as  has  been  worked  upon 
by  the  Ego  is  transmuted  into  the  emotional  soul,  and  is 
ultimately  assimilated  by  the  human  spirit,  the  special 
vehicle  of  which  is  the  desire  body. 

As  much  of  the  vital  body  as  has  been  worked  upon  by 
the  life  spirit,  becomes  the  Intellectual  soul,  and  it  builds 
the  life  spirit,  because  that  aspect  of  the  threefold  spirit 
has  its  counterpart  in  the  vital  body. 

As  much  of  the  dense  body  as  has  been  worked  upon 
by  the  Divine  Spirit  is  called  the  Conscious  soul,  and  is 
ultimately  merged  in  the  Divine  Spirit,  because  the  dense 
body  is  its  material  emanation. 

The  Conscious  soul  grows  by  action,  external  impacts, 
and  experience. 

The  Emotional  soul  grows  by  the  feelings  and  emotions 
generated  by  actions  and  experiences. 

The  Intellectual  soul,  as  mediator  between  the  other 
two,  grows  by  the  exercise  of  memory,  by  which  it  links 
together  past  and  present  experiences  and  the  feelings 
engendered  thereby,  thus  creating  "sympathy"  and  "an- 
tipathy," which  could  not  exist  apart  from  memory,  be- 
cause the  feelings  resulting  from  experience  alone  would  be 
evanescent. 


FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  425 

During  involution  the  spirit  progressed  by  growing 
bodies,  but  evolution  depends  upon  soul  growth — the  trans- 
mutation of  the  bodies  into  soul.  The  soul  is,  so  to  say, 
the  quintessence,  the  power  or  force  of  the  body,  and  when 
a  body  has  been  completely  built  and  brought  to  perfec- 
tion through  the  stages  and  Periods  as  above  described, 
the  soul  is  fully  extracted  therefrom  and  is  absorbed  by 
the  one  of  the  three  aspects  of  the  spirit  which  generated 
the  body  in  the  first  place;  thus: 

The  Conscious  soul  will  be  absorbed  by  the  divine  spirit 
in  the  seventh  Revolution  of  the  Jupiter  Period; 

The  Intellectual  soul  will  be  absorbed  by  the  life  spirit 
in  the  sixth  Revolution  of  the  Venus  Period ; 

The  Emotional  soul  will  be  absorbed  by  the  human  spirit 
in  the  fifth  Revolution  of  the  Vulcan  Period. 

THE  CREATIVE  WORD. 

The  mind  is  the  most  important  instrument  possessed 
by  the  spirit,  and  its  special  instrument  in  the  work  of 
creation.  The  spiritualized  and  perfected  larynx  will  speak 
the  creative  Word,  but  the  perfected  mind  will  decide  as 
to  the  particular  form  and  the  volume  of  vibration,  and 
will  thus  be  the  determining  factor.  Imagination  will  be 
the  spiritualized  faculty  directing  the  work  of  creation. 

There  is  a  strong  tendency  at  the  present  time  to  regard 
the  faculty  of  imagination  slightingly,  yet  it  is  one  of  the 
most  important  factors  in  our  civilization.  If  it  were  not 
for  the  imagination,  we  would  still  be  naked  savages. 
Imagination  planned  our  houses,  our  clothes  and  our  trans- 
portation and  transmission  facilities.  Had  not  the  in- 
ventors of  these  improvements  possessed  the  mind  and 
imagination  to  form  mental  images,  the  improvements 
could  never  have  become  concrete  realities.  In  our  mate- 


426  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

rialistic  day  and  age  there  is  scarcely  an  effort  made  to 
conceal  the  contempt  in  which  the  faculty  of  imagination 
is  generally  held,  and  none  feel  the  effects  of  this  more 
acutely  than  inventors.  They  are  usually  classed  as 
"cranks,"  and  yet  they  have  been  the  chief  factors  in  the 
subjugation  of  the  Physical  World  and  in  making  our 
social  environment  what  it  is  today.  Any  improvement  in 
spiritual  or  physical  conditions  must  first  be  imagined  as 
a  possibility  before  it  can  become  an  actuality. 

If  the  student  will  turn  to  diagram  1  this  fact  will  be- 
come clear.  In  the  comparison  there  drawn  between  the 
functions  of  the  different  human  vehicles  and  the  parts  of 
a  stereopticon,  the  mind  corresponds  to  the  lens.  It  is  the 
focusing  medium  whereby  the  ideas  wrought  by  the  imagi- 
nation of  the  spirit  are  projected  upon  the  material  uni- 
verse. First  they  are  thought-forms  only,  but  when  the 
desire  to  realize  the  imagined  possibilities  has  set  the  man 
to  work  in  the  Physical  World,  they  become  what  we  call 
concrete  "realities." 

At  the  present  time,  however,  the  mind  is  not  focused 
in  a  way  that  enables  it  to  give  a  clear  and  true  picture  of 
what  the  spirit  imagines.  It  is  not  one-pointed.  It  gives 
misty  and  clouded  pictures.  Hence  the  necessity  of  experi- 
ment to  show  the  inadequacies  of  the  first  conception,  and 
bring  about  new  imaginings  and  ideas  until  the  image 
produced  by  the  spirit  in  mental  substance  has  been  repro- 
duced in  physical  substance. 

At  the  best,  we  are  able  to  shape  through  the  mind  only 
such  images  as  have  to  do  with  Form,  because  the  human 
mind  was  not  started  until  the  Earth  Period,  and  there- 
fore is  now  in  its  form,  or  "mineral"  stage,  hence  in  our 
operations  we  are  confined  to  forms,  to  minerals.  We  can 
imagine  ways  and  means  of  working  with  the  mineral 


FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  427 

forms  of  the  three  lower  kingdoms,  but  can  do  little  or 
nothing  with  living  bodies.  We  may  indeed  graft  living 
branch  to  living  tree,  or  living  part  of  animal  or  man  to 
other  living  part,  but  it  is  not  life  with  which  we  are 
working;  it  is  form  only.  We  are  making  different  condi- 
tions, but  the  life  which  already  inhabited  the  form  con- 
tinues to  do  so  still.  To  create  life  is  beyond  man's  power 
until  his  mind  has  become  alive. 

In  the  Jupiter  Period  the  mind  will  be  vivified  to  some 
extent  and  man  can  then  imagine  forms  which  will  live. 
and  grow,  like  plants. 

In  the  Venus  Period,  when  his  mind  has  acquired  "Feel- 
ing," he  can  create  living,  growing,  and  feeling  things. 

When  he  reaches  perfection,  at  the  end  of  the  Vulcan 
Period,  he  will  be  able  to  "imagine"  into  existence  crea- 
tures that  will  live,  grow,  feel,  and  think. 

In  the  Saturn  Period  the  life  wave  which  is  now  man 
started  on  its  evolution.  The  Lords  of  Mind  were  then 
human.  They  worked  with  man  at  that  Period,  when  he 
was  mineral.  They  now  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  lower 
kingdoms,  but  are  concerned  solely  with  our  human 
development. 

Our  present  animals  started  their  mineral  existence  in 
the  Sun  Period,  at  which  time  the  Archangels  were  human, 
therefore  the  Archangels  are  the  rulers  and  guides  of  the 
evolution  of  that  which  is  now  animal,  but  have  nothing  to 
do  with  plant  or  mineral. 

The  present  plants  had  their  mineral  existence  in  the 
Moon  Period.  The  Angels  were  then  human,  therefore 
they  have  special  concern  with  the  life  that  now  inhabits 
the  plants,  to  guide  it  up  to  the  human  stage;  but  they 
have  no  interest  in  the  minerals. 

Our  present  humanity  will  have  to  work  with  the  new 


428  KOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

life  wave,  which  entered  evolution  in  the  Earth  Period  and 
now  ensouls  the  minerals.  We  are  now  working  with  it 
by  means  of  the  faculty  of  imagination,  giving  it  form — 
building  it  into  ships,  bridges,  railways,  houses,  etc. 

In  the  Jupiter  Period  we  shall  guide  the  evolution  of  the 
plant  kingdom,  for  that  which  is  at  present  mineral  will 
then  have  a  plant-like  existence  and  we  must  work  with  it 
there  as  the  Angels  are  now  doing  with  our  plant  kingdom. 
Our  faculty  of  imagination  will  be  so  developed  that 
we  shall  have  the  ability,  not  only  to  create  forms  by  means 
of  it,  but  to  endow  those  forms  with  vitality. 

In  the  Venus  Period  our  present  mineral  life  wave 
shall  have  advanced  another  step,  and  we  shall  be  doing  for 
the  animals  of  that  period  what  the  Archangels  are  now 
doing  for  our  animals— giving  them  living  and  feeling 
forms. 

Lastly,  in  the  Vulcan  Period  it  will  be  our  privilege 
to  give  them  a  germinal  mind,  as  the  Lords  of  Mind  did 
to  us.  The  present  minerals  will  then  have  become  the 
humanity  of  the  Vulcan  Period,  and  we  shall  have  passed 
through  stages  similar  to  those  through  which  the  Angels 
and  Archangels  are  now  passing.  We  shall  then  have 
reached  a  point  in  evolution  a  little  higher  than  that  of  the 
present  Lords  of  Mind,  for  remember,  there  is  never  an 
exact  reproduction  anywhere,  but  always  progressive  im- 
provement, because  of  the  spiral. 

The  Divine  Spirit  will  absorb  the  human  spirit  at  the 
close  of  the  Jupiter  Period;  the  life  spirit  at  the  close  of 
the  Venus  Period;  and  the  perfected  Mind,  embodying 
all  that  it  has  garnered  during  its  pilgrimage  through  all 
the  seven  Periods,  will  be  absorbed  by  the  Divine  Spirit  at 
the  close  of  the  Vulcan  Period.  (There  is  no  contradic- 
tion of  the  foregoing  in  the  statement  made  elsewhere  that 


FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  429 

the  Emotional  soul  will  be  absorbed  by  the  human  spirit  in 
the  fifth  Kevolution  of  the  Vulcan  Period,  because  the 
latter  will  then  be  within  the  Divine  Spirit.) 

Then  will  succeed  the  long  interval  of  subjective  activity, 
during  which  the  virgin  spirit  will  assimilate  all  the  fruits 
of  the  septenary  Periods  of  active  Manifestation.  It  is 
then  merged  in  God,  from  Whom  it  came,  to  re-emerge 
at  the  dawn  of  another  Great  Day,  as  One  of  His  glorious 
helpers.  During  its  past  evolution  its  latent  possibilities 
have  been  transmuted  to  dynamic  powers.  It  has  acquired 
Soul-power  and  a  Creative  Mind  as  the  fruitage  of  its 
pilgrimage  through  matter.  It  has  advanced  from  impo- 
tence to  Omnipotence,  from  nescience  to  Omniscience. 


CHAPTEE  XVII. 

THE  METHOD  OF  ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE. 
The  First  Steps. 

THE  time  has  now  come  for  pointing  out  the  way  by 
which  each  individual  may  investigate  for  himself 
all  the  facts  with  which  we  have  dealt  thus  far  in 
our  study.  As  stated  in  the  beginning,  there  are  no  special 
"gifts"  bestowed  upon  any.  All  may  know  for  themselves 
the  truth  concerning  the  pilgrimage  of  the  soul,  the  past 
evolution  and  future  destiny  of  the  world,  without  being 
compelled  to  depend  upon  the  veracity  of  another.  There 
is  a  method  whereby  this  valuable  faculty  may  be  acquired, 
and  the  earnest  student  qualify  himself  to  investigate  those 
super-physical  realms;  a  method  by  which,  if  persistently 
followed,  the  powers  of  a  God  may  be  developed. 

A  simple  illustration  may  indicate  the  first  steps.  The 
very  best  mechanic  is  well-nigh  helpless  without  the  tools 
of  his  craft.  Indeed  it  is  the  hall-mark  of  a  good  artisan 
that  he  is  very  fastidious  as  to  the  quality  and  condition 
of  the  tools  he  uses,  because  he  knows  that  the  work  de- 
pends as  much  upon  their  excellence  as  upon  his  skill. 

The  Ego  has  several  instruments — a  dense  body,  a  vital 
body,  a  desire  body,,  and  a  mind.  These  are  its  tools  and 
upon  their  quality  and  condition  depends  how  much  or  how 
little  it  can  accomplish  in  its  work  of  gathering  experience 
in  each  life.  If  the  instruments  are  poor  and  dull  there 

430 


ACQUIBING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  431 

will  be  but  little  spiritual  growth  and  the  life  will  be  a 
barren  one,  so  far  as  the  spirit  is  concerned. 

We  generally  estimate  a  "successful"  life  by  the  bank 
account,  the  social  position  attained,  or  the  happi- 
ness resulting  from  a  carefree  existence  and  a  sheltered 
environment. 

When  life  is  regarded  in  that  way  all  the  principal 
things  that  make  for  permanency  are  forgotten;  the  indi- 
vidual is  blinded  by  the  evanescent  and  illusionary.  A 
bank  account  seems  such  a  very  real  success,  the  fact  is 
forgotten  that  from  the  moment  the  Ego  leaves  the  body,  it 
has  no  equity  in  gold  nor  any  other  earthly  treasure.  It 
may  even  have  to  answer  for  the  methods  employed  in 
amassing  that  hoard,  and  suffer  great  pain  in  seeing  others 
spend  it.  It  is  forgotten  that  the  important  social  posi- 
tion also  disappears  when  the  silver  cord  is  loosed.  Those 
who  once  fawned  may  then  sneer,  and  even  those  who  were 
faithful  in  life  might  shudder  at  the  thought  of  an  hour 
spent  with  no  company  but  that  of  the  dead.  All  that  is 
of  this  life  alone  is  vanity.  Only  that  is  of  true  value 
which  can  be  taken  with  us  across  the  threshold  as  the 
treasure  of  the  spirit. 

The  hot-house  plant  may  look  very  beautiful  as  it  blooms 
in  its  sheltered  glass  house,  but  should  the  furnace  fire 
go  out,  it  would  wither  and  die,  while  the  plant  that  has 
grown  in  rain  and  sunshine,  through  storm  and  calm,  will 
survive  the  winter  and  bloom  afresh  each  year.  From  the 
viewpoint  of  the  soul,  happiness  and  a  sheltered  environ- 
ment are  generally  unfortunate  circumstances.  The  petted 
and  fondled  lap-dog  is  subject  to  diseases  of  which  the 
homeless  cur,  which  has  to  fight  for  a  scrap  from  a  gar- 
bage can,  knows  nothing.  The  cur's  life  is  hard,  but  it 
gets  experience  that  makes  it  alert,  alive  and  resourceful. 


432  KOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Its  life  is  rich  in  events,  and  it  reaps  a  harvest  of  experi- 
ence, while  the  pampered  lap-dog  drones  its  time  away  in 
fearful  monotony. 

The  case  of  a  human  being  is  somewhat  similar.  It 
may  be  hard  to  fight  poverty  and  hunger,  but  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  soul  it  is  infinitely  preferable  to  a  life  of 
idle  luxury.  Where  wealth  is  nothing  more  than  the  hand- 
maid of  well  thought  out  philanthropy,  which  helps  man  in 
such  a  way  as  to  really  uplift  him,  it  may  be  a  very  great 
blessing  and  a  means  of  growth  for  its  possessor,  but  when 
used  for  selfish  purposes  and  oppression,  it  cannot  be 
regarded  as  other  than  an  unmitigated  curse. 

The  soul  is  here  to  acquire  experience  through  its  instru- 
ments. These  are  the  tools  furnished  to  each  at  birth,  and 
they  are  good,  bad  or  indifferent  according  to  what  we 
have  learned  through  past  experience  in  the  building  of 
them.  Such  as  they  are  we  must  work  with  them,  if  at  all. 

If  we  have  become  aroused  from  the  usual  lethargy  and 
are  anxious  to  progress,  the  question  naturally  arises,  What 
must  I  do? 

Without  well-kept  tools  the  mechanic  can  do  no  effective 
work;  similarly,  the  instruments  of  the  Ego  must  be 
cleansed  and  sharpened;  then  we  may  commence  to  work 
to  some  purpose.  As  one  works  with  those  wonderful  tools 
they  themselves  improve  with  proper  use  and  become  more 
and  more  efficient  to  aid  in  the  work.  The  object  of  this 
work  is  Union  with  the  Higher  Self. 

There  are  three  steps  by  which  this  work  conquers  the 
lower  nature,  but  they  are  not  completely  taken  one  after 
the  other.  In  a  certain  sense  they  go  together,  so  that  at 
the  present  stage  the  first  receives  the  most  attenion,  the 
second  less,  and  the  third  least  of  all.  In  time,  when  the 


ACQUIKING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  433 

first  step  has  been  wholly  taken,  naturally  more  attention 
can  be  paid  to  the  other  two. 

There  are  three"  helps  given  in  attaining  these  three 
stages.  They  can  be  seen  in  the  outside  world,  where  the 
great  Leaders  of  humanity  have  placed  them. 

The  first  help  is  Race-religions,  which  by  aiding  human- 
ity to  overcome  the  desire  body,  prepare  it  for  union  with 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  full  operation  of  this  help  was  seen  on  the  Day  of 
Pentecost.  As  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Race-God,  all  lan- 
guages are  expressions  of  it.  That  is  why  the  apostles, 
when  fully  united  and  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  spoke 
with  different  tongues  and  were  able  to  convince  their 
hearers.  Their  desire  bodies  had  been  sufficiently  purified 
to  bring  about  the  wished-for  union  and  this  is  an  earnest 
of  what  the  disciple  will  one  day  attain  to — the  power  to 
speak  all  tongues.  It  may  also  be  cited  as  a  modern, 
historical  example,  that  the  Compte  de  St.  Germain  (who 
was  one  of  the  later  incarnations  of  Christian  Rosenkreutz, 
the  founder  of  our  sacred  Order),  spoke  all  languages,  so 
that  all  to  whom  he  spoke  thought  he  belonged  to  the 
same  nation  as  they.  He  also  had  achieved  union  with  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

In  the  Hyperborean  Epoch,  before  man  possessed  a 
desire  body,  there  was  but  one  universal  mode  of  communi- 
cation and  when  the  desire  body  has  become  sufficiently 
purified,  all  men  will  again  be  able  to  understand  one 
another,  for  then  the  separative  Race  differentiation  shall 
have  passed  away. 

The  second  help  which  humanity  now  has  is  the  Religion 
of  the  Son — the  Christian  religion,  the  object  of  which  is 
Union  with  Christ  by  purification  and  control  of  the  vital 
body. 


434  BOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Paul  refers  to  this  future  state  when  he  says:  "Until 
Christ  be  formed  in  you/*  and  exhorts  his  followers,  as  men 
who  are  running  a  race,  to  rid  themselves  of  every  weight. 

The  fundamental  principle  in  building  the  vital  body  is 
repetition.  Eepeated  experiences  work  on  it  to  create 
memory.  The  Leaders  of  humanity,  who  desired  to  give 
us  unconscious  help  by  certain  exercises,  instituted  prayer 
as  a  means  of  bringing  pure  and  lofty  thought  to  work  on 
the  vital  body,  and  enjoined  us  to  "pray  without  ceasing." 
Scoffers  have  often  asked  sneeringly  why  it  should  be 
thought  necessary  to  always  pray,  because  if  God  is  omnis- 
cient He  knows  our  needs  and  if  He  is  not,  our  prayers 
will  probably  never  reach  Him ;  and  if  not  omniscient, 
He  cannot  be  omnipotent,  and  therefore  could  not  answer 
prayer  in  any  case.  Many  an  earnest  Christian  may  also 
have  thought  it  wrong  to  be  continually  importuning  the 
Throne  of  Grace. 

Such  ideas  are  founded  upon  a  misunderstanding  of 
facts.  Truly  God  is  omniscient  and  requires  no  reminder 
of  our  needs,  but  if  we  pray  aright,  we  lift  ourselves  up  to 
Him,  thus  working  upon  and  purifying  our  vital  bodies. 
If  we  pray  aright — but  that  is  the  great  trouble.  We  are 
generally  much  more  concerned  about  temporal  things 
than  we  are  about  spiritual  upliftment.  Churches  will 
hold  special  meetings  to  pray  for  rain!  and  the  chaplains 
of  opposing  armies  or  navies  will  even  pray  before  a  battle 
that  success  may  follow  their  arms ! 

That  is  prayer  to  the  Race-God,  Who  fights  the  battles 
of  His  people,  gives  them  increase  of  flocks  and  herds, 
fills  their  granaries  and  caters  to  their  material  wants. 
Such  prayers  are  not  even  purifying.  They  are  from  the 
desire  body,  which  sums  up  the  situation  thus :  Now  Lord, 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  435 

I  am  keeping  your  commandments  to  the  best  of  my  ability 
and  I  want  You  to  do  Your  part  in  return. 

Christ  gave  to  humanity  a  prayer  that  is,  like  Himself, 
unique  and  all-embracing.  In  it  there  are  seven  distinct 
and  separate  prayers;  one  for  each  of  the  seven  principles 
of  man — the  threefold  body,  the  threefold  spirit  and  the 
link  of  mind.  Each  prayer  is  peculiarly  adapted  to  pro- 
mote the  progression  of  that  p<ut  of  composite  man  to 
which  it  refers. 

The  purpose  of  the  prayer  relating  to  the  threefold  body 
is  the  spiritualization  of  those  vehicles  and  the  extraction 
therefrom  of  the  threefold  soul. 

The  prayers  relating  to  the  threefold  spirit  prepare  it  to 
receive  the  extracted  essence,  the  threefold  soul. 

The  prayer  for  the  link  of  mind  is  to  keep  it  in  its 
proper  relation  as  a  tie  between  the  higher  and  the  lower 
nature. 

The  third  help  to  be  given  to  humanity  will  be  the 
Religion  of  the  Father.  We  can  have  very  little  concep- 
tion of  what  that  will  be,  save  that  the  ideal  will  be  even 
higher  than  Brotherhood  and  that  by  it  the  dense  body 
will  be  spiritualized. 

The  Religions  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Race-religions, 
were  for  the  uplifting  of  the  human  race  through  a  feeling 
of  kinship  limited  to  a  group — family,  tribe  or  nation. 

The  purpose  of  the  Religion  of  The  Son,  Christ,  is  to 
further  uplift  mankind  by  forming  it  into  a  Universal 
Brotherhood  of  separate  individuals. 

The  ideal  of  the  Religion  of  The  Father  will  be  the 
elimination  of  all  separateness,  merging  all  into  One,  so 
that  there  will  be  no  "I"  nor  "Thou/'  but  all  will  be  One 
in  reality.  This  will  not  come  to  pass  while  we  are  still 
inhabitants  of  the  physical  Earth,  but  in  a  future  state 


436  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

where  we  shall  realize  our  unity  with  all,  each  having  access 
to  all  the  knowledge  garnered  by  each  separate  individual. 
Just  as  the  single  facet  of  a  diamond  has  access  to  all  the 
light  that  comes  through  each  of  the  other  facets,  is  one 
with  them,  yet  bounded  by  lines  which  give  it  a  certain 
individuality  without  s&parateness,  so  will  the  individual 
spirit  retain  the  memory  of  its  particular  experiences, 
while  giving  to  all  others  the  fruits  of  its  individual 
existence. 

These  are  the  steps  and  stages  through  which  humanity 
is  unconsciously  being  led. 

In  past  ages  the  Race-spirit  reigned  alone.  Man  was 
content  with  a  patriarchal  and  paternal  government  in 
which  he  had  no  part.  Now  all  over  the  world  we  see 
signs  of  the  breaking  down  of  the  old  system.  The  caste 
system,  which  was  the  stronghold  of  England  in  India, 
is  crumbling.  Instead  of  being  separated  into  small 
groups,  the  people  are  uniting  in  the  demand  that  the 
oppressor  shall  depart  and  leave  them  to  live  in  freedom 
under  a  government  of,  by  and  for  the  people.  Eussia  is 
torn  by  strife  for  freedom  from  a  dictatorial,  autocratic 
government.  Turkey  has  awakened  and  taken  a  long 
stride  toward  liberty.  Here  in  our  own  land,  where  we 
are  supposed  to  be  in  the  actual  enjoyment  of  such  liberty 
as  others  are,  as  yet,  only  able  to  covet  or  fight  for,  we  are 
not  yet  satisfied.  We  are  learning  that  there  are  other 
oppressions  than  those  of  an  autocratic  monarchy.  We 
see  that  we  have  still  industrial  freedom  to  gain.  We  are 
chafing  under  the  yoke  of  the  trusts  and  an  insane  system 
of  competition.  We  are  trending  toward  co-operation, 
which  is  now  practiced  by  the  trusts  within  their  own 
confines  for  private  profit.  We  are  desirous  of  a  state  of 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  437 

society  where  "they  shall  sit  every  man  under  his  vine  and 
under  his  fig  tree;  and  none  shall  make  them  afraid." 

Thus,  all  over  the  world,  the  old  systems  of  paternal 
government  are  changing.  Nations,  as  such,  have  had 
their  day  and  are  unwittingly  working  toward  Universal 
Brotherhood  in  accordance  with  the  design  of  our  invisible 
Leaders,  who  are  none  the  less  potent  in  shaping  events 
because  they  are  not  officially  seated  in  the  councils  of 
nations. 

These  are  the  slow  means  by  which  the  different  bodies 
of  humanity  at  large  are  being  purified,  but  the  aspirant 
to  the  higher  knowledge  works  consciously  to  attain  to 
these  ends,  by  well-defined  methods,  according  to  his  con- 
stitution. , 

WESTERN  METHODS  FOR  WESTERN  PEOPLE. 

In  India,  certain  methods  under  different  systems  of 
Yoga,  are  used.  Yoga  means  Union  and,  as  in  the  West, 
the  object  of  the  aspirant  is  union  with  the  Higher  Self; 
but  to  be  efficacious,  the  methods  of  seeking  that  union 
must  differ.  The  vehicles  of  a  Hindu  are  very  differently 
constituted  from  those  of  a  Caucasian.  The  Hindus  have 
lived  for  many,  many  thousands  of  years  in  an  environ- 
ment and  climate  totally  different  from  ours.  They  have 
pursued  a  different  method  of  thought  and  their  civiliza- 
tion, though  of  a  very  high  order,  is  different  from  ours 
in  its  effects.  Therefore  it  would  be  useless  for  us  to 
adopt  their  methods,  which  are  the  outcome  of  the  highest 
occult  knowledge  and  perfectly  suited  to  them,  but  as  un- 
suitable for  the  people  of  the  West  as  a  diet  of  oats  would 
be  for  a  lion. 

For  instance,  in  some  systems  it  is  required  that  the 
yogi  shall  sit  in  certain  positions,  that  particular  cosmic 


438  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

currents  may  flow  through  his  body  in  a  certain  way  to 
produce  certain  definite  results.  That  instruction  would 
be  altogether  useless  for  a  Caucasian,  as  he  is  absolutely 
impervious  to  those  currents,  because  of  his  way  of  living. 
If  he  is  to  attain  results  at  all,  he  must  work  in  harmony 
with  the  constitution  of  his  vehicles.  That  is  why  the 
"Mysteries"  were  established  in  different  parts  of  Europe 
during  the  Middle  Ages.  The  Alchemists  were  deep  stu- 
dents of  the  higher  occult  science.  The  popular  belief 
that  the  object  of  their  study  and  experimenting  was  the 
transmutation  of  baser  metals  into  gold,  was  because  they 
chose  that  symbolic  way  of  describing  their  true  work, 
which  was  the  transmutation  of  the  lower  nature  into 
spirit.  It  was  thus  described  to  lull  the  suspicions  of  the 
priests,  without  stating  a  falsehood.  The  statement  that 
the  Eosicrucians  were  a  society  devoted  to  the  discovery 
and  use  of  the  formula  for  the  making  of  the  "Philosoph- 
er's Stone"  was  and  is  true.  It  is  also  true  that  most 
people  have  handled  and  do  often  handle  this  wondrous 
stone.  It  is  common,  but  of  no  avail  to  an  but  the  indi- 
vidual who  makes  it  for  himself.  The  formula  L  given  in 
the  esoteric  training  and  a  Rosicrucian  is  no  different  in 
that  respect  from  the  occultist  of  any  other  school.  All 
are  engaged  in  the  making  of  this  coveted  stone,  each, 
however,  using  his  own  methods,  as  there  are  no  two  indi- 
viduals alike  and  consequently  really  effective  work  is 
always  individual  in  its  scope. 

All  occult  schools  are  divisible  into  seven,  as  are  the 
"Rays"  of  Life,  the  virgin  spirits.  Each  School  or  Order 
belongs  to  one  of  these  seven  Rays,  as  does  each  unit  of 
our  humanity.  Therefore  any  individual  seeking  to  unite 
with  one  of  these  occult  groups,  the  "Brothers"  in  which 
do  not  belong  to  his  Ray,  cannot  do  so  with  benefit  to 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  439 

himself.  The  members  of  these  groups  are  brothers  in  a 
more  intimate  sense  than  are  the  rest  of  humanity. 

Perhaps  if  these  seven  Rays  are  compared  to  the  seven 
colors  of  the  spectrum,  their  relation  to  one  another  can 
be  better  understood.  For  instance,  if  a  red  ray  were  to 
ally  itself  with  a  green  ray,  inharmony  would  result.  The 
same  principle  applies  to  spirits.  Each  must  proceed 
with  the  group  to  which  it  belongs  during  manifestation, 
yet  they  are  all  one.  As  all  the  colors  are  contained  in 
the  white  light,  but  the  refractive  quality  of  our  atmos- 
phere seems  to  divide  it  into  seven  colors,  so  the  illusory 
conditions  of  concrete  existence  cause  the  virgin  spirits 
to  seem  grouped  and  this  apparent  grouping  will  abide 
while  we  are  in  this  state. 

The  Rosicrucian  Order  was  started  particularly  for  those 
whose  high  degree  of  intellectual  development  caused  them 
to  repudiate  the  heart.  Intellect  imperiously  demands  a 
logical  explanation  of  everything — the  world  mystery,  the 
questions  of  life  and  death.  The  reasons  for  and  the 
modus  aperandi  of  existence  were  not  explained  by  the 
priestly  injuction  "not  to  seek  to  know  the  mysteries  of 
God." 

To  any  man  or  woman  who  is  blest,  or  otherwise,  with 
such  an  inquiring  mind  it  is  of  paramount  importance 
that  they  shall  receive  all  the  information  they  crave,  so 
that  when  the  head  is  stilled,  the  heart  may  speak.  Intel- 
lectual knowledge  is  but  a  means  to  an  end,  not  the  end 
itself.  Therefore,  the  Rosicrucian  purposes  first  of  all  to 
satisfy  the  aspirant  for  knowledge  that  everything  in  the 
universe  is  reasonable,  thus  winning  over  the  rebellious 
intellect.  When  it  has  ceased  to  criticise  and  is  ready  to 
accept  provisionally,  as  probably  true,  statements  which 
cannot  be  immediately  verified,  then,  and  not  until  then, 


440  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

will  esoteric  training  be  effective  in  developing  the  higher 
faculties  whereby  man  passes  from  faith  to  first-hand 
knowledge.  Yet,  even  then  it  will  be  found  that,  as  the 
pupil  progresses  in  first-hand  knowledge  and  becomes  able 
to  investigate  for  himself,  there  are  always  truths  ahead 
of  him  that  he  knows  to  be  truths,  but  which  he  is  not  yet 
advanced  sufficiently  to  investigate. 

The  pupil  will  do  well  to  remember  that  nothing  that  is 
not  logical  can  exist  in  the  universe  and  that  logic  is  the 
surest  guide  in  all  the  Worlds,  but  he  must  not  forget  that 
his  faculties  are  limited  and  that  more  than  his  own  pow- 
ers of  logical  reasoning  may  be  needed  to  solve  a  given 
problem,  although  it  may,  nevertheless,  be  susceptible  of 
full  explanation,  but  by  lines  of  reasoning  which  are  be- 
yond the  capacity  of  the  pupil  at  that  stage  of  his  de- 
velopment. Another  point  that  must  be  borne  in  mind 
is  that  unwavering  confidence  in  the  teacher  is  absolutely 
necessary. 

The  foregoing  is  recommended  to  the  particular  con- 
sideration of  all  who  intend  taking  the  first  steps  toward 
the  higher  knowledge.  If  the  directions  given  are  fol- 
lowed at  all,  they  must  be  given  full  credence  as  an  effi- 
cacious means  to  accomplish  their  purpose.  To  follow 
them  in  a  half-hearted  manner  would  be  of  no  avail  what- 
ever. Unbelief  will  kill  the  fairest  flower  ever  produced 
by  the  spirit. 

Work  on  the  different  bodies  of  man  is  carried  on  syn- 
chronously. One  body  cannot  be  influenced  without  af- 
fecting the  others,  but  the  principal  work  may  be  done  on 
any  one  of  them. 

If  strict  attention  is  paid  to  hygiene  and  diet,  the  dense 
body  is  the  one  principally  affected,  but  at  the  same  time 
there  is  also  an  effect  on  the  vital  body  and  the  desire 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  441 

body  for,  as  purer  and  better  materials  are  built  into  the 
dense  body,  the  particles  are  enveloped  in  purer  planetary 
ether  and  desire-stuff  also,  therefore  the  planetary  parts 
of  the  vital  and  desire  bodies  become  purer.  If  attention 
is  paid  to  food  and  hygiene  only,  the  personal  vital  and 
desire  bodies  may  remain  almost  as  impure  as  before,  but 
it  has  become  just  a  little  easier  to  get  into  touch  with  the 
good  than  if  gross  food  were  used. 

On  the  other  hand  if,  despite  annoyances,  an  equable 
temper  is  cultivated,  also  literary  and  artistic  tastes,  the 
vital  body  will  produce  an  effect  of  daintiness  and  fas- 
tidiousness in  physical  matters  and  will  also  engender  en- 
nobling feelings  and  emotions  in  the  desire  body. 

Seeking  to  cultivate  the  emotions  also  reacts  upon  the 
other  vehicles  and  helps  to  improve  them. 

THE  SCIENCE  OF  NUTRITION. 

If  we  begin  with  the  dense  vehicle  and  consider  the 
physical  means  available  to  improve  it  and  make  it  the 
best  possible  instrument  for  the  spirit  and  afterward  con- 
sider the  spiritual  means  to  the  same  end,  we  shall  be  in- 
cluding all  the  other  vehicles  as  well;  therefore  we  shall 
follow  that  method. 

The  first  visible  state  of  a  human  embryo  is  a  small, 
globulous,  pulpy  or  jelly-like  substance,  similar  to  albu- 
men, or  the  white  of  an  egg.  In  this  pulpy  globule  various 
particles  of  more  solid  matter  appear.  These  gradually 
increase  in  bulk  and  density  until  they  come  in  contact 
with  one  another.  The  different  points  of  contact  are 
slowly  modified  into  joints  or  hinges  and  thus  a  distinct 
framework  of  solid  matter,  a  skeleton,  is  gradually  formed. 

During  the  formation  of  this  framework  the  surround- 
ing pulpy  matter  accumulates  and  changes  in  form  until 


442  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

at  length  that  degree  of  organization  develops  which  is 
known  as  a  foatus.  This  becomes  larger,  firmer,  and  more 
fully  organized  up  to  the  time  of  birth,  when  the  state  of 
infancy  begins. 

The  same  process  of  consolidation  which  commenced 
with  the  first  visible  stage  of  existence,  still  continues. 
The  being  passes  through  the  different  stages  of  infancy, 
childhood,  youth,  manhood  or  womanhood,  old  age,  and 
at  last  comes  to  the  change  that  is  called  death. 

Each  of  these  stages  is  characterized  by  an  increasing 
degree  of  hardness  and  solidity. 

There  is  a  gradual  increase  in  density  and  firmness  of 
the  bones,  tendons,  cartilages,  ligaments,  tissues,  mem- 
branes, the  coverings  and  even  the  very  substance  of  the 
stomach,  liver,  lungs,  and  other  organs.  The  joints  be- 
come rigid  and  dry.  They  begin  to  crack  and  grate  when 
they  are  moved,  because  the  synovial  fluid,  which  oils  and 
softens  them,  is  diminished  in  quantity  and  rendered  too 
thick  and  glutinous  to  serve  that  purpose. 

The  heart,  the  brain,  and  the  entire  muscular  system, 
spinal  cord,  nerves,  eyes,  etc.,  partake  of  the  same  con- 
solidating process,  growing  more  and  more  rigid.  Millions 
upon  millions  of  the  minute  capillary  vessels  which  ramify 
and  spread  like  the  branches  of  a  tree  throughout  the  en- 
tire body,  gradually  choke  up  and  change  into  solid  fibre, 
no  longer  pervious  to  the  blood. 

The  larger  blood  vessels,  both  arteries  and  veins,  indu- 
rate, lose  their  elasticity,  grow  smaller,  and  become  in- 
capable of  carrying  the  required  amount  of  blood.  The 
fluids  of  the  body  thicken  and  become  putrid,  loaded  with 
earthy  matter.  The  skin  withers  and  grows  wrinkled  and 
dry.  The  hair  falls  off  for  lack  of  oil.  The  teeth  decay 
and  drop  out  for  lack  of  gelatine.  The  motor  nerves  begin 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  443 

to  dry  up  and  the  movements  of  the  body  become  awkward 
and  slow.  The  senses  fail;  the  circulation  of  the  blood  is 
retarded;  it  stagnates  and  congeals  in  the  vessels.  More 
and  more  the  body  loses  its  former  powers.  Once  elastic, 
healthy,  alert,  pliable,  active  and  sensitive,  it  becomes 
rigid,  slow,  and  insensible.  Finally,  it  dies  of  old  age. 

The  question  now  arises,  What  is  the  cause  of  this  grad- 
ual ossification  of  the  body,  bringing  rigidity,  decrepitude, 
and  death? 

From  the  purely  physical  standpoint,  chemists  seem  to 
be  unanimous  in  the  opinion  that  it  is  principally  an  in- 
crease of  phosphate  of  lime  (bone  matter),  carbonate  of 
lime  (common  chalk),  and  sulphate  of  lime  (plaster  of 
paris),  with  occasionally  a  little  magnesia  and  an  insigni- 
ficant amount  of  other  earthy  matters. 

The  only  difference  between  the  body  of  old  age  and 
that  of  childhood  is  the  greater  density,  toughness  and 
rigidity,  caused  by  the  greater  proportion  of  calcareous, 
earthy  matter  entering  into  the  composition  of  the  for- 
mer. The  bones  of  a  child  are  composed  of  three  parts  of 
gelatine  to  one  part  of  earthy  matter.  In  old  age  this 
proportion  is  reversed.  What  is  the  source  of  this  death- 
dealing  accumulation  of  solid  matter? 

It  seems  to  be  axiomatic  that  the  entire  body  is  nour- 
ished by  the  blood  and  that  everything  contained  in  the 
body,  of  whatever  nature,  has  first  been  in  the  blood. 
Analysis  shows  that  the  blood  holds  earthy  substances  of 
the  same  kind  as  the  solidifying  agents — and  mark  ! — the 
arterial  blood  contains  more  earthy  matter  than  the  venous 
blood. 

This  is  highly  important.  It  shows  that  in  every  cycle 
the  blood  deposits  earthy  substances.  It  is  therefore  the 
common  carrier  that  chokes  up  the  system.  But  its  sup- 


444  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

ply  of  earthy  matter  must  be  replenished,  otherwise  it 
could  not  continue  to  do  this.  Where  does  it  renew  its 
deadly  load?  There  can  be  but  one  answer  to  that  ques- 
tion— from  the  food  and  drink;  there  is  absolutely  no 
other  source. 

The  food  and  drink  which  nourish  the  body  must  be, 
at  the  same  time,  the  primary  source  of  the  calcareous, 
earthy  matter  which  is  deposited  by  the  blood  all  over  the 
system,  causing  decrepitude  and  finally  death.  To  sus- 
tain physical  life  it  is  necessary  that  we  eat  and  drink, 
but  as  there  are  many  kinds  of  food  and  drink,  it  be- 
hooves us,  in  the  light  of  the  above  facts,  to  ascertain,  if 
possible,  what  kinds  contain  the  smallest  proportion  of 
destructive  matter.  If  we  can  find  such  food  we  can 
lengthen  our  lives  and,  from  an  occult  standpoint,  it  is 
desirable  to  live  as  long  as  possible  in  each  dense  body, 
particularly  after  a  start  has  been  made  toward  the  path. 
So  many  years  are  required  to  educate,  through  childhood 
and  hot  youth,  each  body  inhabited,  until  the  spirit  can 
at  last  obtain  some  control  over  it,  that  the  longer  we  can 
retain  a  body  that  has  become  amenable  to  the  spirit's 
promptings,  the  better.  Therefore  it  is  highly  important 
that  the  pupil  partake  of  such  food  and  drink  only  as  will 
deposit  the  least  amount  of  hardening  matter  and  at  the 
same  time  keep  the  excretory  organs  active. 

The  skin  and  the  urinary  system  are  the  saviors  of  man 
from  an  early  grave.  Were  it  not  that  by  their  means, 
most  of  the  earthy  matter  taken  with  our  food  is  elimi- 
nated, no  one  would  live  ten  years. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  ordinary,  undistilled  spring 
water  contains  carbonate  and  other  compounds  of  lime  to 
such  an  extent  that  the  average  quantity  used  each  day  by 
one  person  in  the  form  of  tea,  coffee,  soup,  etc.,  would  in 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  445 

forty  years  be  sufficient  to  form  a  block  of  solid  chalk  or, 
marble  the  size  of  a  large  man.  It  is  also  a  significant 
fact  that  although  phosphate  of  lime -is  always  found  in 
the  urine  of  adults,  it  is  not  found  in  the  urine  of  chil- 
dren, because  in  them  the  rapid  formation  of  bone  re- 
quires that  this  salt  be  retained.  During  the  period  of 
gestation  there  is  very  little  earthy  matter  in  the  urine  of 
the  mother,  as  it  is  used  in  the  building  of  the  foetus.  In 
ordinary  circumstances,  however,  earthy  matter  is  very 
much  in  evidence  in  the  urine  of  adults  and  to  this  we 
owe  the  fact  that  physical  life  reaches  even  its  present 
length. 

Undistilled  water,  when  taken  internally,  is  man's  worst 
enemy,  but  used  externally,  it  becomes  his  best  friend.  It 
keeps  the  pores  of  the  skin  open,  induces  circulation  of 
the  blood  and  prevents  the  stagnation  which  affords  the 
best  opportunity  for  the  depositing  of  the  earthy,  death- 
dealing  phosphate  of  lime. 

Harvey,  who  discovered  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 
said  that  health  denotes  a  free  circulation  and  disease  is 
the  result  of  an  obstructed  circulation  of  the  blood. 

The  bathtub  is  a  great  aid  in  keeping  up  the  health  of 
the  body  and  should  be  freely  used  by  the  aspirant  to  the 
higher  life.  Perspiration,  sensible  and  insensible,  carries 
more  earthy  matter  out  of  the  body  than  any  other  agency. 

As  long  as  fuel  is  supplied  and  the  fire  kept  free  from 
ashes,  it  will  burn.  The  kidneys  are  important  in  carry- 
ing away  the  ashes  from  the  body,  but  despite  the  great 
amount  of  earthy  matter  carried  away  by  the  urine,  enough 
remains  in  many  cases  to  form  gravel  and  stone  in  the 
bladder,  causing  untold  agony  and  often  death. 

Let  no  one  be  deceived  into  thinking"  that  water  con- 
tains less  stone  because  it  has  been  boiled.  The  stone  that 


446  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

forms  on  the  bottom  of  the  teakettle  has  been  left  there 
by  the  evaporated  water  which  escaped  from  the  kettle  as 
steam.  If  the  steam  were  condensed,  we  should  have  dis- 
tilled water,  which  is  an  important  adjunct  in  keeping 
the  body  young. 

There  is  absolutely  no  earthy  matter  in  distilled  water, 
nor  in  rain  water,  snow  nor  hail  (except  what  may  be 
gathered  by  contact  with  house-tops,  etc.),  but  coffee,  tea, 
or  soup  made  with  ordinary  water,  no  matter  how  long 
boiled,  is  not  purified  of  the  earthy  particles;  on  the  con- 
trary, the  longer  they  are  boiled,  the  more  heavily  charged 
Math  it  they  become.  Those  suffering  from  urinary  dis- 
eases should  never  drink  any  but  distilled  water. 

It  may  be  said  generally  of  the  solid  foods  we  take  into 
our  system,  that  fresh  vegetables  and  ripe  fruits  contain 
the  greatest  proportion  of  nutritious  matter  and  the  least 
of  earthy  substances. 

As  we  are  writing  for  the  aspirant  to  the  higher  life 
and  not  for  the  general  public,  it  may  also  be  said  that 
animal  food  should  be  entirely  avoided,  if  possible.  No 
one  who  kills  can  go  very  far  along  the  path  of  holiness. 
We  do  even  worse  than  if  we  actually  killed,  for  in  order 
to  shield  ourselves  from  the  personal  commission  of  the 
act  of  killing,  and  still  reap  its  results,  we  force  a  fellow 
being,  through  economic  necessity,  to  devote  his  entire 
time  to  murder,  thereby  brutalizing  him  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  law  will  not  allow  him  to  act  as  a  juror  in  cases 
of  capital  crime,  because  his  business  has  so  familiarized 
him  with  the  taking  of  life. 

The  enlightened  know  the  animals  to  be  their  younger 
brothers  and  that  they  will  be  human  in  the  Jupiter 
Period.  We  shall  then  help  them  as  the  Angels,  who  were 
human  in  the  Moon  Period,  are  now  helping  us,  and  for  an 


ACQUIRING   FIEST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  447 

aspirant  to  high  ideals  to  kill — either  in  person  or  by 
proxy — is  out  of  the  question. 

Several  very  important  food  products  from  animals, 
such  as  milk,  cheese  and  butter,  may  be  used.  These  are 
the  results  of  the  processes  of  life  and  require  no  tragedies 
to  convert  them  into  food.  Milk,  which  is  an  important 
food  for  the  occult  student,  contains  no  earthy  matter  of 
any  consequence  and  has  an  influence  upon  the  body  pos- 
sessed by  no  other  food. 

During  the  Moon  Period  man  was  fed  upon  the  milk 
of  Nature.  Universal  food  was  absorbed  by  him  and  the 
use  of  rviilk  has  a  tendency  to  put  him  in  touch  with  the 
Cosmic  forces  and  enable  him  to  heal  others. 

It  is  popularly  supposed  that  sugar  or  any  saccharine 
substance  is  injurious  to  the  general  health,  and  particu- 
larly to  the  teeth,  causing  their  decay  and  the  resulting 
toothache.  Only  under  certain  circumstances  is  this  true. 
It  is  harmful  in  certain  diseases,  such  as  biliousness  and 
dyspepsia,  or  if  held  long  in  the  mouth  as  candy,  but  if 
sparingly  used  during  good  health  and  the  amount  grad- 
ually increased  as  the  stomach  becomes  accustomed  to  its 
use,  it  will  be  found  very  nourishing.  The  health  of 
negroes  becomes  greatly  improved  during  the  sugar-cane 
harvest  time,  notwithstanding  their  increased  labor.  This 
is  attributed  solely  to  their  fondness  for  the  sweet  cane- 
juice.  The  same  may  be  said  of  horses,  cows,  and  other 
animals  in  those  localities,  which  are  all  fond  of  the  refuse 
syrup  fed  to  them.  They  grow  fat  in  harvest  time,  their 
coats  becoming  sleek  and  shining.  Horses  fed  on  boiled 
carrots  for  a  few  weeks  will  get  a  coat  like  silk,  owing  to 
the  saccharine  juices  of  that  vegetable.  Sugar  is  a  nutri- 
tious and  beneficial  article  of  diet  and  contains  no  ash 
whatever. 


448  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-GONCEPTION 

Fruits  are  an  ideal  diet.  They  are  in  fact  evolved  by 
the  trees  to  induce  animal  and  man  to  eat  them,  so  that 
the  seed  may  he  disseminated,  as  flowers  entice  bees  for  a 
similar  purpose. 

Fresh  fruit  contains  water  of  the  purest  and  best  kind, 
capable  of  permeating  the  system  in  a  marvelous  manner. 
Grape  juice  is  a  particularly  wonderful  solvent.  It  thins 
and  stimulates  the  blood,  opening  the  way  into  capillaries 
already  dried  and  choked  up — if  the  process  has  not  gone 
too  far.  By  a  course  of  unfermented  grape-juice  treat- 
ment, people  with  sunken  eyes,  wrinkled  skins  and  poor 
complexions  become  plump,  ruddy  and  lively.  The  in- 
creased permeability  enables  the  spirit  to  manifest  more 
freely  and  with  renewed  energy.  The  following  table, 
which  with  the  exception  of  the  last  column,  is  taken 
from  the  publications  of  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture,  will  give  the  aspirant  some  idea  of  the  amount 
it  is  necessary  to  eat  for  different  degrees  of  activity,  also 
the  constituents  of  the  various  foods  named. 

Considering  the  body  from  a  purely  physical  standpoint, 
it  is  what  we  might  call  a  chemical  furnace,  the  food  being 
the  fuel.  The  more  the  body  is  exercised,  the  more  fuel 
it  requires.  It  would  be  foolish  for  a  man  to  change  an 
ordinary  diet  which  for  years  had  adequately  nourished 
him,  and  take  up  a  new  method  without  due  thought  as  to 
which  would  be  the  best  for  serving  his  purpose.  To  sim- 
ply eliminate  meats  from  the  ordinary  diet  of  meat-qaters 
would  unquestionably  undermine  the  health  of  most  per- 
sons. The  only  safe  way  is  to  experiment  and  study  the 
matter  out  first,  using  due  discrimination.  No  fixed  rules 
can  be  given,  the  matter  of  diet  being  as  individual  as  any 
other  characteristic.  All  that  can  be  done  is  to  give  the 
table  of  food  values  and  describe  the  general  influence  of 


ACQUIRING  FIEST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  449 

each  chemical  element,  allowing  the  aspirant  to  work  out 
his  own  method. 

Neither  must  we  allow  the  appearance  of  a  person  to 
influence  our  judgment  as  to  the  condition  of  his  health. 
Certain  general  ideas  of  how  a  healthy  person  should  look 
are  commonly  accepted,  but  there  is  no  valid  reason  for  so 
judging.  Ruddy  cheeks  might  be  an  indication  of  health 
in  one  individual  and  of  disease  in  another.  There  is  no 
particular  rule  by  which  good  health  can  be  known  except 
the  feeling  of  comfort  and  well-being  which  is  enjoyed  by 
the  individual  himself,  irrespective  of  appearances. 

The  table  of  foods  here  given  deals  with  five  chemical 
compounds. 

Water  is  the  great  solvent. 

Nitrogen  or  proteid  is  the  essential  builder  of  flesh,  but 
contains  some  earthy  matter. 

Carbo-hydrates  or  sugars  are  the  principal  power-pro- 
ducers. 

Fats  are  the  producers  of  heat  and  the  storers  of  reserve 
force. 

Ash  is  mineral,  earthy,  and  chokes  the  system.  We  need 
have  no  fear  of  not  obtaining  it  in  sufficient  quantities  to 
.build  the  bones;  on  the  contrary,  we  cannot  be  too  careful 
to  get  as  little  as  possible. 

The  calorie  is  the  simple  unit  of  heat,  and  the  table 
shows  the  number  contained  in  each  article  of  food  when 
bought  at  the  market.  In  a  pound  of  Brazil  nuts,  for  in- 
stance, 49.6%  of  the  whole  is  waste  (shells),  but  the  re- 
maining 50.4%  contains  1485  calories.  That  means  that 
about  one-half  of  what  is  bought  is  waste,  but  the  re- 
mainder contains  the  number  of  calories  named.  That 
we  may  get  the  greatest  amount  of  strength  from  our  food 
.we  must  pay  attention  to  the  number  of  calories  it  con- 


450 


ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 


tains,  for  from  them  we  obtain  the  energy  required  to  per- 
form our  daily  work.  The  number  of  calories  necessary 
to  sustain  the  body  under  varying  conditions  is  shown  in 
the  following  table : 

Man  at  very  hard  muscular  work 5500  Calories 

Man  at  moderately  hard  muscular  work 4150 

Man  at  moderately  active  muscular  work 3400 

Man  at  moderately  light  work 3050 

Man  at  sedentary  work    2700 

Man     without    muscular    exercise 2450 

Woman  at  light  to  modern  muscular  work 2450 

TABLE  OF  FOOD  VALUES. 


8 

*& 

& 

D 

0) 

rt^ 
£ 

Proteids  1 

% 

*» 
«& 
fa 

Carbo-hy- 
drates 

% 

-d 

.S^ 

Fuel  value 
in  Calories 
per  Ib. 

g£§. 

s««a 

j5--£w 
£§'•3 

FKLITS. 

Apples,     dried  .  

?81 

1  6 

?fl 

66.1 

2.0 

1185 

Apples,    fresh  

?50 

633 

03 

03 

10.8 

0.3 

190 

2:30 

Apricots,    dried  

29.4 

4.7 

1.0 

62.5 

2.4 

1125 

Bananas   

35.0 

48.0 

08 

0.4 

14.3 

0.6 

260 

1:45 

Cucumbers     

15.0 

81  1 

07 

09 

2.6 

0.4 

65 

Dates,    dried  

100 

138 

1  9 

25 

70.6 

1,2 

1275 

Figs,    dried    

18.8 

4  3 

03 

74.2 

2.4 

1280 

3:00 

Grapes    

25.6 

58.0 

1  0 

1  ?, 

14.4 

0.4 

295 

Lemons   

30.0 

ft?  5 

07 

05 

5.9 

0.4 

125 

Musfemelons     
Oranges    

50.0 
?71 

44.8 
634 

0.3 
06 

'o'i 

4.6 

8.5 

0.3 

04 

80 
150 

3:00 
2:45 

Pears    

10.0 

76.0 

0.5 

0.4 

12.7 

0.4 

230 

2:00 

Persimmons  (edible  part) 
Raisins,    dried  

ib.6 

66.1 
13.1 

0.8 
?3 

0.7 
30 

31.5 
68.5 

0.9 
3.1 

550 
1265 

4:00 

Raspberries    
Squash     

50.6 

85.8 
44.2 

1.0 

0.7 

°0fl 

12.6 
4.5 

0.6 
0.4 

220 
100 

3:45 

Strawberries    

5.0 

85.9 

09 

06 

7.0 

0.6 

150 

2:45 

Tomatoes,  canned  

94.0 

1  ? 

0? 

4.0 

0.6 

95 

2:00 

Tomatoes,    fresh  

94.3 

09 

04 

3.9 

05 

100 

2:00 

Watermelons    

59.4 

37.5 

0? 

01 

2.7 

01 

50 

NUTS. 

Almonds    

45.0 

2.7 

11.5 

30? 

9.5 

1.1 

1515 

4:00 

Brazil    nuts  

49.6 

?6 

86 

337 

3.5 

20 

1485 

4:00 

Butternuts    

86.4 

06 

38 

83 

0.5 

0.4 

385 

4:00 

Chestnuts,  dried  

24  0 

4.5 

8.1 

5.3 

56.4 

1.7 

1385 

Chestnuts,  fresh  

16.0 

37.0 

5.2 

4.5 

35.4 

1.1 

915 

Filberts     

52.1 

1  8 

7.5 

31  3 

6.2 

1.1 

1430 

4:00 

Hickory  nuts  

62.2 

1.4 

58 

?55 

4.3 

0,8 

1145 

4:00 

Pecans    

53.2 

1.4 

5? 

33.3 

6.2 

0.7 

1465 

4:00 

Walnuts    Black  

74.1 

0.6 

7.2 

146 

3.0 

0.5 

730 

4:00 

Walnuts,  English  

GRAINS. 

Bread  : 

58.1 

1.0 
43.6 

6.9 
5.4 

26.6 
1  8 

6.8 
47.1 

0.6 
«1 

1250 
1040 

4:00 
4:00 

Graham     

35.7 

89 

1  8 

52.1 

1.5 

1195 

4:00 

K  vi'                    

35.7 

9.0 

Off 

53.2 

1.5 

1170 

4:00 

White,    fresh  .  . 

35.3 

9.2 

1.3 

53.1 

1.1 

1200 

4:30 

ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE 


451 


TABLE  OF  FOOD  VALUES  (CONTINUED) 


S 

I* 

h 
*, 

£ 

1  Proteids  II 

% 

*» 

£* 

Carbo-hy- 
drates 

% 

ja 
$* 

Fuel  value, 
in  Calories 
per  Ib. 

i  °J  . 

«"2  *s 
s.§  Ss 
in  §3 

White,    stale  

35.3 

9.2 

1.3 

53.1 

1.1 

1200 

3  :30 

Whole    Wheat  

38.4 

9.7 

0.9 

49.7 

1.3 

1139 

4  :00 

Corn,     green,     sweet, 
canned    

76.1 

2.8 

1.2 

19.0 

0.9 

430 

3  :45 

Corn,  green,  sweet   (edi- 
ble   part)  

75  4 

3.1 

1  i 

19  7 

0  7 

440 

3  :45 

Cornmeal    

12.5 

9.2 

1.9 

75  4 

1  0 

1635 

Flour  : 
Buckwheat     

13.6 

6.4 

1.2 

77.9 

0.9 

1605 

Graham     

11.3 

13.3 

1.9 

71.4 

1.8 

1645 

Rye    

11'.  !» 

6.8 

I)  '.» 

78.7 

0.7 

1620 

Wheat    (high   grade). 
Wheat   (low  grade).. 
Whole    Wheat  

IL'.O 
12.0 
11.4 

11.4 
14.0 

l.'i.S 

1.0 
1.9 
1.9 

75.1 
71.2 
71.9 

0.5 
0.9 
1.0 

1635 
1640 
1650 

Macaroni,  Vermicelli,  etc. 
Oat  Breakfast  Food.  .  .  . 

10.3 

7.7 

13.4 
16.7 

0.9 
73 

74.1 
66.2 

1.3 
2.1 

1645 
1800 

3:00 

Oyster   Crackers  

4.8 

11.3 

10.5 

70.5 

2.9 

1910 

Rice     

12.3 

8.0 

0.3 

79.0 

0.4 

1620 

1  :00 

Soda    Crackers  

5.9 

9.8 

9.1 

73.1 

2.1 

1875 

Starch    

90.0 

1675 

Wheat  Breakfast  Food. 

LEGUMES 

Beans,  baked,  canned.  .  . 
Beans,  dried  

9.6 

68.9 
12.6 

12.1 

6.9 
22.5 

1.8 

2.5 
1.8 

75.2 

19.6 
59.6 

1.3 

2.1 
3.5 

1680 

555 
1520 

3:45 
3:45 

Beans,  Lima,  shelled.  .  . 

68.5 

7.1 

0.7 

22.0 

1  7 

540 

3:30 

Beans,    String  

7.0 

83.0 

2.1 

0.3 

6.9 

0.7 

170 

Peas,  canned  

35.3 

3.6 

0.2 

9.8 

1.1 

235 

Peas,  dried  

9.5 

24.6 

1.0 

62.0 

2.9 

1565 

Peas,  shelled  

74.6 

7.0 

0.5 

16.9 

1.0 

440 

2  :35 

Peanuts   

24.5 

6.9 

19.5 

29.1 

18.5 

1.5 

1775 

VEGETABLES. 

Beets    

?00 

700 

1  3 

01 

7.7 

0.9 

160 

3  :45 

Cabbage    

15.0 

77.7 

1.3 

0.1 

4.8 

0.9 

115 

4  :30 

Celery    

20.0 

75.6 

0.9 

0.1 

2.6 

0.8 

65 

3  :15 

Lettuce    

15.0 

80.5 

1.0 

0.2 

2.5 

0.8 

65 

Onions    

10.0 

62.6 

1.4 

0.3 

8.9 

0.5 

190 

2  :0.-> 

Parsnips    

20.0 

66.4 

1  3 

0.4 

10.8 

1.1 

230 

3  :30 

Potatoes   

•>oo 

6°  R 

1  8 

01 

14.7 

0.8 

295 

3  :30 

Rhubarb  (pie  plant)  .  .  . 
Spinach     

40.0 

56.6 
92.3 

0.4 
2.1 

0.4 
0.3 

2.2 
3.2 

0.4 
2.1 

60 
95 

Sweet  potatoes  

20.6 

55.2 

1.4 

0.6 

21.9 

0.9 

440 

Turnips     

30.0 

6?  7 

0.9 

0.1 

5.7 

0.6 

120 

4  :00 

SUGARS. 

Candy     plain     .          .  . 

96.0 

1680 

81.0 

1420 

71.4 

1250 

. 

70.0 

1225 

Sugar,  granulated  

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Chocolate   

35 

1?9 

487 

100.0 
30.3 

2.2 

1750 
5625 

Cocoanuts    

48.8 

7.2 

2.9 

25.9 

14.3 

0  9 

1295 

Cocoanuts,    prepared  .  .  . 

3.5 

6.3 

57.4 

31.5 

1.3 

2805 

Cocoa,  powdered     

4.6 

21.6 

•>89 

37.7 

7.2 

2160 

Mushrooms     

88.1 

3.5 

0.4 

6.8 

1.2 

185 

1  :20 

Tapioca     

11.4 

0.4 

0.1 

88.0 

0.1 

1650 

2  :00 

452  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

According  to  this  table,  it  is  evident  that  chocolate  is 
the  most  nutritious  food  we  have;  also  that  cocoa,  in  its 
powdered  state,  is  the  most  dangerous  of  all  foods,  contain- 
ing three  times  as  much  ash  as  most  of  the  others,  and  ten 
times  as  much  as  many.  It  is  a  powerful  food  and  also  a 
powerful  poison,  for  it  chokes  the  system  more  quickly 
than  any  other  substance. 

Of  course,  it  will  require  some  study  at  first  to  secure 
the  best  nourishment,  but  it  pays  in  health  and  longevity 
and  secures  the  free  use  of  the  body,  making  study  and 
application  to  higher  things  possible.  After  a  while  the 
aspirant  will  become  so  familiar  with  the  subject  that  he 
will  need  to  give  it  no  particular  attention. 

While  the  foregoing  table  shows  the  proportion  of  chem- 
ical substances  contained  in  each  article  of  food  named,  it 
must  be  remembered  that  not  all  of  this  is  available  for 
use  in  the  system,  because  there  are  certain  portions  which 
the  body  refuses  to  assimilate. 

Of  vegetables  we  digest  only  about  83%  of  the  proteids, 
90%  of  the  fat,  and  95%  of  the  carbo-hydrates. 

Of  fruits  we  assimilate  about  85%  of  the  proteids,  90% 
of  the  fat,  and  90%  of  the  carbo-hydrates. 

The  brain  is  the  co-ordinating  mechanism  whereby  the 
movements  of  the  body  are  controlled  and  our  ideas  are 
expressed.  It  is  built  of  the  same  substances  as  are  all 
other  parts  of  the  body,  with  the  addition  of  phosphorus, 
which  is  peculiar  to  the  brain  alone. 

The  logical  conclusion  is  that  phosphorus  is  the  particu- 
lar element  by  means  of  which  the  Ego  is  able  to  express 
thought  and  influence  the  dense  physical  body.  It  is  also 
a  fact  that  the  proportion  and  variation  of  this  substance 
is  found  to  correspond  to  the  state  and  stage  of  intelligence 
of  the  individual.  Idiots  have  very  little  phosphorus; 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  453 

shrewd  thinkers  have  much;  and  in  the  animal  world,  the 
degree  of  consciousness  and  intelligence  is  in  proportion 
to  the  amount  of  phosphorus  contained  in  the  brain.) 

It  is  therefore  of  great  importance  that  the  aspirant 
who  is  to  use  his  body  for  mental  and  spiritual  work,  , 
should  supply  his  brain  with  the  substance  necessary  for 
that  purpose.  Most  vegetables  and  fruits  contain  a  certain 
amount  of  phosphorus,  but  it  is  a  peculiar  fact  that  the 
greater  proportion  is  contained  in  the  leaves,  which  are 
usually  thrown  away.  It  is  found  in  considerable  quanti- 
ties in  grapes,  onions,  sage,  beans,  cloves,  pineapples,  in 
the  leaves  and  stalks  of  many  vegetables,  and  also  in  sugar- 
cane juice,  but  not  in  refined  sugar. 

The  following  table  shows  the  proportions  of  phosphoric 
acid  in  a  few  articles : 
100,000  PARTS  OP: 

Barley,  dry,  contain,  of  phosphoric  acid, 210  parts 

Beans     292 

Beets    167 

Beets,  Leaves  of  690 

Buckwheat    170 

Carrots,   dry    395 

Carrots,  Leaves  of   963 

Linseed    880 

Linseed,  Stalks  of  118 

Parsnips    Ill 

Parsnips,  Leaves  of  1784 

Peas    ..., 190 

The  gist  of  the  preceding  argument  may  be  thus  suc- 
cinctly stated: 

(1)  The  body,  throughout  the  entire  period  of  life,  is 
subject  to  a  process  of  consolidation. 

(2)  This  process  consists  of  the  depositing  by  the  blood 
of  earthy  substances,  principally  phosphate  and  carbonate 
of  lime,  by  which  the  various  parts  become  ossified,  con- 
verted into  bone,  or  kindred  matter. 


454  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

(3)  This  conversion  into  bone  destroys  the  flexibility 
of  the  vessels,  muscles  and  other  parts  of  the  body  subject 
to  motion.     It  thickens  the  blood  and  entirely  chokes  up 
the  minute  capillaries,  so  that  the  circulation  of  the  fluids 
and  the  action  of  the  system  generally  diminishes,  the 
termination  of  this  process  being  death. 

(4)  This  process  of  consolidation  may  be  retarded  and 
life  prolonged  by  carefully  avoiding  the  foods  that  contain 
much  ash;  by  using  distilled  water  for  internal  purposes; 
and  by  promoting  excretion  through  the  skin  by  means  of 
frequent  baths. 

The  foregoing  explains  why  some  religions  prescribe 
frequent  ablutions  as  a  religious  exercise,  because  they  pro- 
mote the  health  and  purify  the  dense  body.  Fastings  were 
also  prescribed  for  the  same  purpose.  They  give  the  stom- 
ach a  much-needed  rest,  allow  the  body  to  eliminate  the 
effete  matter,  and  thus,  if  not  to  frequent  or  too  prolonged, 
promote  the  health,  but  usually  as  much  and  more  can  be 
accomplished  by  giving  the  body  proper  foods  which  are 
the  best  medicines. 

Always  the  first  care  of  the  physician  is  to  ascertain  if 
there  is  proper  excretion,  that  being  Nature's  chief  means 
for  ridding  the  body  of  the  poisons  contained  in  all  foods. 

In  conclusion,  let  the  aspirant  choose  such  food  as  is 
most  easily  digested,  for  the  more  easily  the  energy  in 
food  is  extracted,  the  longer  time  will  the  system  have  for 
recuperation  before  it  becomes  necessary  to  replenish  the 
supply.  Milk  should  never  be  drunk  as  one  may  drink  a 
glass  of  water.  Taken  in  that  way,  it  forms  in  the  stomach 
a  large  cheese-ball,  quite  impervious  to  the  action  of  the 
gastric  juices.  It  should  be  sipped,  as  we  sip  tea  or  coffee. 
It  will  then  form  many  small  globules  in  the  stomach, 
which  are  easily  assimilated.  Properly  used,  it  is  one  of 


ACQUIBING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  455 

the  best  possible  articles  of  diet.  Citrus  fruits  are  power- 
ful antiseptics,  and  cereals,  particularly  rice,  are  antitoxins 
of  great  efficiency. 

Having  now  explained,  from  the  purely  material  point 
of  view,  what  is  necessary  for  the  dense  body,  we  will  con- 
sider the  subject  from  the  occult  side,  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  effect  on  the  two  invisible  bodies  which  in- 
terpenetrate the  dense  body. 

The  particular  stronghold  of  the  desire  body  is  in  the 
muscles  and  the  cerebro-spinal  nervous  system,  as  already 
shown.  The  energy  displayed  by  a  person  when  laboring 
under  great  excitement  or  anger  is  an  example  of  this.  At 
such  times  the  whole  muscular  system  is  tense  and  no  hard 
labor  is  so  exhausting  as  a  "fit  of  temper."  It  sometimes 
leaves  the  body  prostrated  for  weeks.  There  can  be  seen 
the  necessity  for  improving  the  desire  body  by  controlling 
the  temper,  thus  sparing  the  dense  body  the  suffering  re- 
sulting from  the  ungoverned  action  of  the  desire  body. 

Looking  at  the  matter  from  an  occult  standpoint,  all 
consciousness  in  the  Physical  World  is  the  result  of  the 
constant  war  between  the  desire  and  the  vital  bodies. 

The  tendency  of  the  vital  body  is  to  soften  and  build. 
Its  chief  expression  is  the  blood  and  the  glands,  also  the 
sympathetic  nervous  system,  having  obtained  ingress  into 
the  stronghold  of  the  desire  body  (the  muscular  and  the 
voluntary  nervous  systems)  when  it  began  to  develop  the 
heart  into  a  voluntary  muscle. 

The  tendency  of  the  desire  body  is  to  harden,  and  it  in 
turn  has  invaded  the  realm  of  the  vital  body,  gaining  pos- 
session of  the  spleen  and  making  the  white  blood  cor- 
puscles, which  are  not  "the  policemen  of  the  system"  as 
science  now  thinks,  but  destroyers.  It  uses  the  blood  to 
carry  these  tiny  destroyers  all  over  the  body.  They  pass 


456  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

through  the  walls  of  arteries  and  veins  whenever  annoy- 
ance is  felt,  and  especially  in  times  of  great  anger.  Then 
the  rush  of  forces  in  the  desire  body  makes  the  arteries 
and  veins  swell  and  opens  the  way  for  the  passage  of  the 
white  corpuscles  into  the  tissues  of  the  body,  where  they 
form  bases  for  the  earthy  matter  which  kills  the  body. 

Given  the  same  amount  and  kind  of  food,  the  person  of 
serene  and  jovial  disposition  will  live  longer,  enjoy  better 
health,  and  be  more  active  than  the  person  who  worries,  or 
loses  his  temper.  The  latter  will  make  and  distribute 
through  his  body  more  destructive  white  corpuscles  than 
the  former.  Were  a  scientist  to  analyze  the  bodies  of  these 
two  men,  he  would  find  that  there  was  considerably  less 
earthy  matter  in  the  body  of  the  kindly-disposed  man  than 
in  that  of  the  scold. 

This  destruction  is  constantly  going  on  and  it  is  not 
possible  to  keep  all  the  destroyers  out,  nor  is  such  the 
intention.  If  the  vital  body  had  uninterrupted  sway,  it 
would  build  and  build,  using  all  the  energy  for  that  pur- 
pose. There  would  be  no  consciousness  and  thought.  It 
is  because  the  desire  body  checks  and  hardens  the  inner 
parts  that  consciousness  develops. 

There  was  a  time  in  the  far,  far  past  when  we  set  out 
the  concretions,  as  do  the  mollusks,  leaving  the  body  soft, 
flexible  and  boneless,  but  at  that  time  we  had  only  the 
dull,  glimmering  consciousness  the  mollusks  now  have. 
Before  we  could  advance,  it  became  necessary  to  retain 
the  concretions  and  it  will  be  found  that  the  stage  of 
consciousnes*  of  any  species  is  in  proportion  to  the  de- 
velopment of  the  bony  framework  within.  The  Ego  must 
have  the  solid  bones  with  the  semi-fluid  red  marrow,  in 
order  to  be  able  to  build  the  red  blood-corpuscles  for  its 
expression. 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  457 

That  is  the  highest  development  of  the  dense  body.  It 
signifies  nothing  in  this  connection  that  the  highest  class 
of  animals  have  an  internal  bone  formation  similar  to 
man's,  but  still  have  no  indwelling  spirit.  They  belong  to 
a  different  stream  of  evolution. 

THE  LAW  OF  ASSIMILATION. 

The  law  of  assimilation  allows  no  particle  to  be  built 
into  our  bodies  that  we,  as  spirits,  have  not  overcome 
and  made  subject  to  ourselves.  The  forces  active  along 
these  lines  are,  as  we  remember,  principally  our  "dead," 
who  have  entered  "heaven"  and  are  learning  there  to 
build  bodies  to  use  here,  but  they  work  according  to 
certain  laws  that  they  cannot  circumvent.  There  is  life 
in  every  particle  of  food  that  we  take  into  our  bodies,  and 
before  we  can  build  that  life  into  our  bodies  by  the  proc- 
ess of  assimilation,  we  must  overcome  and  make  it 
subject  to  ourselves.  Otherwise  there  could  be  no  harmony 
in  the  body.  Each  part  would  act  independently,  as  they 
do  when  the  co-ordinating  life  has  been  withdrawn.  That 
would  be  what  we  call  decay,  the  process  of  disintegration, 
which  is  the  direct  opposite  of  assimilation.  The  more 
individualized  is  the  particle  to  be  assimilated,  the  more 
energy  will  it  require  to  digest  it  and  the  shorter  time 
will  it  remain  before  seeking  to  reassert  itself. 

Human  beings  are  not  organized  in  such  a  manner  that 
they  can  live  upon  solid  minerals.  When  a  purely  mineral 
substance,  such  as  salt,  is  eaten,  it  passes  through  the 
body  leaving  behind  it  but  very  little  waste.  What  it 
does  leave,  however,  is  of  a  very  injurious  character.  If 
it  were  possible  for  man  to  use  minerals  as  food,  they 
would  be  ideal  for  that  purpose  because  of  their  stability 
and  the  little  energy  required  to  overcome  and  subject 


458  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

them  to  the  life  of  the  body.  We  should  be  compelled 
to  eat  very  much  less  in  quantity  and  also  less  often  than 
we  now  do.  Our  laboratories  will  some  time  supply  us 
with  chemical  food  of  a  quality  far  surpassing  anything 
that  we  now  have,  which  shall  be  always  fresh.  Food 
obtained  from  the  higher  plants  and  still  more  from  the 
yet  higher  animal  kingdom,  is  positively  nauseating  be- 
cause of  the  rapidity  of  decay.  This  process  is  caused 
by  the  efforts  made  by  the  individual  particles  to  escape 
from  the  composite  whole. 

The  plant  kingdom  is  next  above  the  mineral.  It  has 
an  organization  capable  of  assimilating  the  mineral  com- 
pounds of  the  Earth.  Man  and  animal  can  assimilate 
the  plants  and  thus  obtain  the  chemical  compounds  neces- 
sary to  sustain  their  bodies  and  as  the  consciousness  of 
the  plant  kingdom  is  that  of  dreamless  sleep,  it  offers 
no  resistance.  It  requires  but  little  energy  to  assimilate 
the  particles  thus  derived  and  having  small  individuality 
of  their  own,  the  life  ensouling  the  particles  does  not 
seek  to  escape  from  our  body  as  soon  as  food  derived  from 
more  highly  developed  forms,  therefore  the  strength  de- 
rived from  a  diet  of  fruit  and  vegetables  is  more  enduring 
than  that  derived  from  a  meat  diet,  and  the  food  supply 
does  not  require  as  frequent  replenishing,  besides  giving 
more  strength  in  proportion,  because  less  energy  is  re- 
quired for  assimilation. 

Food  composed  of  the  bodies  of  animals  consists  of 
particles  which  have  been  worked  upon  and  inter-pene- 
trated by  an  individual  desire  body,  and  have  thus  been 
individualized  to  a  much  greater  extent  than  the  plant 
particles.  There  is  an  individual  cell-soul,  which  is  per- 
meated by  the  passions  and  desires  of  the  animal.  It 
requires  considerable  energy  to  overcome  it  in  the  first 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  459 

place,  so  that  it  may  be  assimilated,  yet  it  never  becomes 
so  fully  incorporated  into  the  polity  of  the  body  as  do 
the  plant  constituents,  which  have  no  such  strong  indi- 
vidual tendencies.  The  result  is  that  it  is  necessary  for 
the  flesh-eater  to  consume  a  greater  weight  of  food  than 
is  required  by  the  fruitarian;  also  he  must  eat  oftener. 
Moreover,  this  inward  strife  of  the  particles  of  flesh  causes 
greater  wear  and  tear  of  the  body  in  general,  rendering 
the  meat-eater  less  active  and  capable  of  endurance  than 
the  vegetarian,  as  all  contests  between  advocates  of  the 
two  methods  have  demonstrated. 

Therefore,  when  flesh-food  derived  from  the  herbivora 
is  such  an  unstable  diet,  it  is  evident  that  if  we  should 
try  to  use  the  flesh  of  carnivorous  animals,  in  which  the 
cells  are  still  further  individualized,  we  would  be  forced 
to  consume  enormous  quantities  of  food.  Eating  would 
occupy  the  greater  part  of  our  time,  but  notwithstanding 
that  fact,  we  would  always  be  lean  and  hungry.  That 
such  is  its  effect,  can  be  seen  in  the  wolf  and  the  vulture; 
their  leanness  and  hunger  are  proverbial.  Cannibals  eat 
human  flesh,  but  only  at  long  intervals  and  as  a  luxury. 
As  man  does  not  confine  himself  exclusively  to  a  meat 
diet,  his  flesh  is  not  that  of  an  entirely  carnivorous  beast, 
nevertheless  the  hunger  of  the  cannibal  has  also  become 
the  burden  of  a  proverb. 

If  the  flesh  of  the  herbivora  were  the  essence  of  what 
is  good  in  plants,  then,  logically,  the  flesh  of  the  carniv- 
ora  should  be  the  quintessence.  The  meat  of  wolves 
and  vultures  would  thus  be  the  creme  de  la  creme,  and 
much  to  be  desired.  This  we  know  is  not  the  case,  but 
quite  the  reverse.  The  nearer  we  get  to  the  plant  king- 
dom, the  more  strength  we  derive  from  our  food.  If  the 
reverse  were  the  case,  the  flesh  of  carnivorous  animals 


460  KOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

would  be  sought  by  other  beasts  of  prey,  but  examples 
of  "dog  eat  dog"  are  very  few  throughout  nature. 

LIVE  AND  LET  LIVE. 

The  first  law  of  occult  science  is  "Thou  shalt  not  kill," 
and  that  should  have  the  greatest  weight  with  the  aspirant 
to  the  higher  life.  We  cannot  create  so  much  as  one 
particle  of  dust,  therefore  what  right  have  we  to  destroy 
the  very  least  form.  All  Form  is  an  expression  of  the 
One  Life — the  Life  of  God.  We  have  no  right  to  destroy 
the  Form  through  which  the  Life  is  seeking  experience, 
and  force  it  to  build  a  new  vehicle. 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox,  with  the  true  compassion  of  all 
far-advanced  souls,  champions  this  occult  maxim,  in  the 
following  beautiful  words: 

I  am  the  voice  of  the  voiceless; 

Through  me  the  dumb  shall  speak 

Till  a  deaf  world's  ear 

Shall  be  made  to  hear 

The  wrongs  of  the  wordless  weak. 

The  same  force  formed  the  sparrow 

That  fashioned  man,  the  king. 

The  God  of  the  Whole 

Gave  a  spark  of  soul 

To  furred  and  feathered  thing. 

And  I  am  my  brother's  keeper; 

And  I  will  fight  his  fight,  I 

And  speak  the  word 

For  beast  and  bird 

Till  the  world  shall  set  things  right. 

Sometimes  the  objection  is  made  that  life  is  also  taken 
when  vegetables  and  fruits  are  eaten,  but  that  statement 
is  based  upon  a  complete  misunderstanding  of  the  facts. 
When  the  fruit  is  ripe,  it  has  accomplished  its  purpose, 
which  is  to  act  as  a  womb  for  the  ripening  of  the  seed. 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  461 

If  not  eaten,  it  decays  and  goes  to  waste.  Moreover,  it 
is  designed  to  serve  as  food  for  the  animal  and  human 
kingdoms,  thus  affording  the  seed  oportunities  for  growth 
by  scattering  it  in  fertile  soil.  Besides,  just  as  the  ovum 
and  the  semen  of  human  beings  are  ineffectual  without  the 
seed-atom  of  the  reincarnating  Ego  and  the  matrix  of 
its  vital  body,  so  any  egg  or  seed,  of  itself,  is  devoid  of 
life.  If  it  is  given  the  proper  conditions  of  incubator  or 
soil,  the  life  of  the  group-spirit  is  then  poured  into  it, 
thus  grasping  the  opportunity  so  afforded  of  producing 
a  dense  body.  If  the  egg  or  seed  is  cooked,  crushed,  or  not 
given  the  conditions  necessary  for  the  life,  the  opportunity 
is  lost,  but  that  is  all. 

At  the  present  stage  of  the  evolutionary  journey,  every- 
one knows  inherently  that  it  is  wrong  to  kill  and  man 
will  love  and  protect  the  animals  in  all  cases  where  his 
greed  and  selfish  interest  does  not  blind  him  to  their 
rights.  The  law  protects  even  a  cat  or  a  dog  against 
wanton  cruelty.  Except  in  "sport,"  that  most  wanton  of 
all  our  cruelties  against  the  animal  creation,  it  is  always 
for  the  sake  of  money  that  animals  are  murdered  and 
bred  to  be  murdered.  By  the  devotees  of  "sport"  the 
helpless  creatures  are  shot  down  to  no  purpose  save  to 
bolster  up  a  false  idea  of  prowess  upon  the  part  of  the 
huntsman.  It  is  hard  to  understand  how  people  who  ap- 
pear otherwise  sane  and  kindly  can,  for  the  time,  trample 
upon  all  their  gentler  instincts  and  revert  to  bloodthirsty 
savagery,  killing  for  the  sheer  lust  of  blood  and  joy  in 
destruction.  It  is  certainly  a  reversion  to  the  lowest 
savage  animal  instincts,  and  can  never  be  dignified  into 
the  remotest  semblance  of  anything  "manly,"  even  though 
practiced  and  defended  by  the  otherwise  humane  and 
worthy  temporary  head  of  a  mighty  nation. 


•462  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

How  much  more  beautiful  it  would  be  for  man  to  play 
the  role  of  friend  and  protector  of  the  weak.  Who  does 
not  love  to  visit  Central  Park  in  New  York  City  and  pet, 
stroke  and  feed  the  hundreds  of  squirrels  which  are  run- 
ning about  secure  in  the  knowledge  that  they  will  not  be 
molested?  And  who  is  not  glad,  for  the  sake  of  the 
squirrels,  to  see  the  sign,  "Dogs  found  chasing  the  squir- 
rels will  be  shot."  This  is  hard  on  the  dogs,  but  it  is 
i^  be  commended  as  an  evidence  of  the  growth  of  the  senti- 
ment favoring  the  protection  of  the  weak  against  the 
unreasoning  or  merciless  strong.  Nothing  is  said  on  the 
sign  about  the  squirrels  being  injured  by  men,  because 
that  would  be  unthinkable.  So  strong  is  the  influence  of 
the  trust  the  little  animals  repose  in  the  kindness  of  man, 
that  no  one  would  violate  it. 

THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Returning  to  our  consideration  of  the  spiritual  aids 
to  human  progress,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which  may  be 
considered  as  an  abstract,  algebraical  formula  for  the  up- 
liftment  and  purification  of  all  the  vehicles  of  man,  the 
idea  of  taking  proper  care  of  the  dense  body  is  expressed 
in  the  words :  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread." 

The  prayer  dealing  with  the  needs  of  the  vital  body 
is,  "Forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  those  who 
trespass  against  us." 

The  vital  body  is  the  seat  of  memory.  In  it  are  stored 
the  sub-conscious  records  of  all  the  past  events  of  our 
life,  good  or  ill,  including  all  injuries  inflicted  or  sus- 
tained and  benefits  received,  or  bestowed.  We  remember 
that  the  record  of  the  life  is  taken  from  those  pictures 
immediately  after  leaving  the  dense  body  at  death,  and 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND   KNOWLEDGE  463 

that  all  the  sufferings  of  post  mortem  existence  are  the 
results  of  the  events  these  pictures  portray. 

If,  by  continual  prayer,  we  obtain  forgiveness  for  the 
injuries  we  have  inflicted  upon  others  and  if  we  make 
all  the  restitution  possible,  purify  our  vital  bodies  by 
forgiving  those  who  have  wronged  us,  and  eliminate  all 
ill-feeling,  we  save  ourselves  much  post  mortem  misery, 
besides  preparing  the  way  for  Universal  Brotherhood, 
which  is  particularly  dependent  upon  the  victory  of  the 
vital  body  over  the  desire  body.  In  the  form  of  memory, 
the  desire  body  impresses  upon  the  vital  body  the  idea  of 
revenge.  An  even  temper  amid  the  various  annoyances  of 
daily  life  indicates  such  a  victory,  therefore  the  aspirant 
should  cultivate  control  of  the  temper,  as  it  includes  work 
on  both  bodies.  The  Lord's  Prayer  includes  this  also, 
for  when  we  see  that  we  are  injuring  others,  we  look 
about  and  try  to  find  the  cause.  Loss  of  temper  is  one 
of  the  causes  and  it  originates  in  the  desire  body. 

Most  people  leave  physical  life  with  the  same  tempera- 
ment they  bring  into  it,  but  the  aspirant  must  systematic- 
ally conquer  all  attempts  of  the  desire  body  to  assume 
mastery.  That  can  be  done  by  concentration  upon  high 
ideals,  which  strengthens  the  vital  body  and  is  much  more 
efficacious  than  the  common  prayers  of  the  Church.  The 
occult  scientist  uses  concentration  in  preference  to  prayer, 
because  the  former  is  accomplished  by  the  aid  of  the  mind, 
which  is  cold  and  unfeeling,  whereas  prayer  is  usually 
dictated  by  emotion.  Where  it  is  dictated  by  a  pure  un- 
selfish devotion  to  high  ideals  prayer  is  much  higher  than 
cold  concentration.  It  can  never  be  cold,  but  bears  upon 
the  pinions  of  Love  the  outpourings  of  the  mystic  to  the 
Deity. 

The  prayer  for  the  desire  body  is,  "Lead  us  not  into 


464  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

temptation."  Desire  is  the  great  tempter  of  mankind. 
It  is  the  great  incentive  to  all  action,  and  in  so  far  as  the 
actions  subserve  the  purposes  of  the  spirit,  it  is  good;  but 
where  the  desire  is  for  something  degrading,  something 
that  debases  the  nature,  it  is  indeed  meet  that  we  pray 
not  to  be  led  into  temptation. 

Love,  Wealth,  Power,  and  Fame! — These  are  the  four 
great  motives  of  human  action.  Desire  for  one  or  more 
of  these  is  the  motive  for  all  that  man  does  or  leaves  un- 
done. The  great  Leaders  of  humanity  have  wisely  given 
them  as  incentives  to  action,  that  man  may  gain  experi- 
ence and  learn  thereby.  They  are  necessary,  and  the 
aspirant. may  safely  continue  to  use  them  as  motives  for 
action,  but  he  must  transmute  them  into  something  higher. 
He  must  overcome  with  nobler  aspirations  the  selfish  love 
which  seeks  the  ownership  of  another  Body,  and  all  de- 
sires for  wealth,  power  and  fame  for  narrow  and  personal 
reasons. 

The  Love  for  which  he  must  long  is  that  only  which 
is  of  the  soul  and  embraces  all  beings,  high  and  low,  in- 
creasing in  proportion  to  the  needs  of  the  recipient; 

The  Wealth,  that  which  consists  solely  of  abundance  of 
opportunities  to  serve  his  fellow  men; 

The  Power,  that  alone  which  makes  for  the  upliftment 
of  humanity;  ' 

The  Fame,  none  save  that  which  increases  his  ability 
to  spread  the  good  news,  that  all  who  suffer  may  thus 
quickly  find  solace  for  the  heart's  grief. 

The  prayer  for  the  mind  is  "Deliver  us  from  evil."  We 
have  seen  that  mind  is  the  link  between  the  higher  and 
the  lower  natures.  Animals  are  permitted  to  follow  de- 
sire without  any  restriction  whatever.  In  their  case,  there 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  405 

is  neither  good  nor  evil,  because  they  lack  mind,  the 
faculty  of  discrimination.  The  method  of  self-protection 
which  we  pursue  in  regard  to  animals  which  kill  and  steal 
is  different  from  that  which  we  use  in  relation  to  human 
beings  who  do  the  same  things.  Even  a  human  being  who 
is  bereft  of  mind  is  not  held  accountable.  The  fact  is 
recognized  that  he  does  not  know  he  is  doing  wrong, 
therefore  he  is  simply  restrained. 

It  was  only  when  his  mental  eyes  were  opened  that  man 
came  to  know  good  and  evil.  When  the  link  of  mind  be- 
comes allied  to  the  Higher  Self  and  does  its  bidding,  we 
have  the  high-minded  person.  On  the  contrary,  the  coali- 
tion of  the  mind  with  the  lower  desire  nature  produces 
the  low-minded  person;  therefore  the  meaning  of  this 
prayer  is  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  the  experience 
resulting  from  the  alliance  of  the  mind  with  the  desire 
body,  with  all  thereby  implied. 

The  aspirant  to  the  higher  life  accomplishes  the  union 
of  the  higher  and  the  lower  natures  by  means  of  Medita- 
tion on  lofty  subjects.  This  union  is  farther  cemented  by 
Contemplation,  and  both  these  states  are  transcended  by 
Adoration,  which  lifts  the  spirit  to  the  very  Throne. 

The  Lord's  Prayer,  given  for  the  general  use  of  the 
Church,  gives  Adoration  first  place,  in  order  to  reach 
the  spiritual  exaltation  necessary  to  proffer  a  petition 
representing  the  needs  of  the  lower  vehicles.  Each  aspect 
of  the  threefold  spirit,  commencing  with  the  lowest,  raises 
itself  in  adoration  to  its  corresponding  aspect  of  Deity. 
When  the  three  aspects  of  the  spirit  are  all  arrayed  before 
the  Throne  of  Grace,  each  utters  the  prayer  appropriate 
to  the  needs  of  its  material  counterpart,  all  three  joining 
in  the  closing  prayer  for  the  mind. 


466  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

The  human  spirit  soars  to  its  counterpart,  the  Holy 
Spirit  (Jehovah),  saying  "Hallowed  be  Thy  Name." 

The  life  spirit  bows  before  its  counterpart,  The  Son 
(Christ),  saying  "Thy  Kingdom  Come." 

The  divine  spirit  kneels  before  its  counterpart,  The 
Father,  with  the  prayer,  "Thy  Will  be  done." 

Then  the  highest,  the  divine  spirit,  petitions  the 
highest  aspect  of  the  Deity,  the  Father,  for  its  counter- 
part, the  dense  body :  "Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread." 

The  next  highest,  the  life  spirit,  prays  to  its  counter- 
part, the  Son,  for  its  counterpart  in  the  lower  nature, 
the  vital  body :  "Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  we  forgive 
those  who  trespass  against  us." 

The  lowest  aspect  of  the  spirit,  the  human  spirit,  next 
offers  its  petition  to  the  lowest  aspect  of  Deity  for  the 
highest  of  the  threefold  bodies,  the  desire  body:  "Lead 
us  not  into  temptation." 

Lastly,  in  unison,  all  three  aspects  of  the  threefold 
spirit  in  man  join  in  the  most  important  of  the  prayers, 
the  petition  for  the  mind,  in  the  words :  "Deliver  us  from 
evil/' 

The  introduction,  "Our  Father  Who  art  in  Heaven," 
is  merely  as  the  address  on  an  envelope.  The  addition, 
"For  Thine  is  the  Kingdom,  and  the  Power,  and  the 
Glory,  forever.  Amen,"  was  not  given  by  Christ,  but  is 
very  appropriate  as  the  parting  adoration  of  the  three- 
fold spirit  as  it  closes  its  direct  address  to  the  Deity. 

Diagram  16  illustrates  the  foregoing  explanation  in  a 
simple  and  easily  remembered  manner,  showing  the  con- 
nection between  the  different  prayers  and  the  correspond- 
ing vehicles,  which  are  similarly  colored.  This  diagram 
is  inserted  opposite  the  title  page. 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  467 

THE  Vow  OF  CELIBACY. 

The  sex-pervert,  or  sex-maniac,  is  a  proof  of  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  contention  of  occultists  that  one  part  of 
the  sex-force  builds  the  brain.  He  becomes  an  idiot, 
unable  to  think  because  of  drawing  and  sending  out,  not 
only  the  negative  or  positive  part  of  the  sex-force  (ac- 
cording to  whether  male  or  female)  which  is  normally 
to  be  used  through  the  sex-organ  for  propagation,  but 
in  addition  to  that,  some  of  the  forre  which  should  build 
up  the  brain,  enabling  it  to  produce  thought — hence  the 
mental  deficiency. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  person  is  given  to  spiritual 
thought,  the  tendency  to  use  the  sex-force  for  propagation 
is  slight,  and  whatever  part  of  it  is  not  used  in  that  way 
may  be  transmuted  into  spiritual  force. 

That  is  why  the  initiate,  at  a  certain  stage  of  develop- 
ment, takes  the  vow  of  celibacy.  It  is  not  an  easy  vow, 
nor  one  to  be  lightly  taken  By  one  desirous  of  spiritual 
advancement.  Many  people  who  are  not  yet  ripe  for  the 
higher  life  have  ignorantly  bound  themselves  to  a  life  of 
asceticism.  They  are  as  dangerous  to  the  community  and 
to  themselves  on  the  one  hand  as  is  the  imbecile  sex- 
maniac  on  the  other. 

At  the  present  stage  of  human  evolution  the  sex  func- 
tion is  the  means  whereby  bodies  are  provided,  through 
which  the  spirit  can  gain  experience.  The  people  who 
are  most  prolific  and  follow  the  creative  impulse  un- 
reservedly are  the  lowest  classes;  thus  it  is  difficult  for 
incoming  entities  to  find  good  vehicles  amid  environments 
enabling  them  to  unfold  their  faculties  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  permanently  benefit  themselves  and  the  rest  of 
humanity,  for  among  the  wealthier  classes  who  could 
furnish  more  favorable  conditions  many  have  few  or  no 


468  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

children.  It  is  not  because  they  live  abstemious  sex- 
lives,  but  for  the  entirely  selfish  reasons  that  they  may 
have  more  ease  and  leisure  and  indulge  in  unlimited  sex- 
gratification  without  the  burden  of  a  family.  Among  the 
less-wealthy  middle  class,  families  are  also  restricted,  but 
in  their  case  partially  for  economic  reasons,  that  they 
may  give  one  or  two  children  educational  and  other  ad- 
vantages that  their  means  would  not  permit  them  to  give 
to  four  or  five. 

Thus  man  exercises  his  divine  prerogative  of  bringing 
disorder  into  nature.  Incoming  Egos  must  take  the  oppor- 
tunities offered  them  sometimes  under  unfavorable  circum- 
stances. Other  Egos  who  cannot  do  that,  must  wait  till 
favorable  environment  offers.  Thus  do  we  affect  one  an- 
other by  our  actions  and  thus  are  the  sins  of  the  fathers 
visited  upon  the  children,  for  as  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
creative  energy  in  nature,  the  sex  energy  is  its  reflection 
in  man,  and  misuse  or  abuse  of  that  power  is  the  sin  that 
is  not  forgiven,  but  must  be  expiated  in  impaired  efficiency 
of  the  vehicles,  in  order  to  thoroughly  teach  us  the 
sanctity  of  the  creative  force. 

Aspirants  to  the  higher  life,  filled  with  an  earnest 
desire  to  live  a  noble  spiritual  life,  often  regard  the  sex- 
function  with  horror,  because  of  the  harvest  of  misery 
which  humanity  has  reaped  as  a  result  of  its  abuse.  They 
are  apt  to  turn  in  disgust  from  what  they  regard  as  im- 
purity, overlooking  the  fact  that  it  is  precisely  such  peo- 
ple as  they  who  (having  brought  their  vehicles  into  good 
condition  by  means  of  proper  sanitary  food,  high  and 
lofty  thought,  and  pure  and  spiritual  lives)  are  best 
fitted  to  generate  the  dense  bodies  essential  to  the  develop- 
ment of  entities  seeking  incarnation.  It  is  common  knowl- 
edge among  occult  scientists  that,  to  the  detriment  of  the 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  469 

race,  many  high-class  Egos  are  kept  out  of  incarnation 
at  the  present  time  solely  because  parents  cannot  be  found 
who  are  pure  enough  to  provide  them  with  the  necessary 
physical  vehicles. 

Persons  who,  for  the  reason  above  mentioned,  refrain 
from  doing  their  duty  to  humanity,  are  magnifying  the 
sun-spots  to  such  an  extent  that  they  forget  to  see  the 
Sun  itself !  The  sex-function  has  its  great  place  in  the 
economy  of  the  world.  When  properly  used,  there  is  no 
greater  boon  to  the  Ego,  for  it  then  provides  pure  and 
healthful  bodies  such  as  man  needs  for  his  development; 
conversely,  when  abused,  there  is  no  greater  curse,  for  it 
is  then  the  source  of  the  worst  ills  to  which  flesh  is  heir. 

It  is  a  truism  that  "no  man  liveth  unto  himself/'  By 
our  words  and  acts  we  are  constantly  affecting  others. 
By  the  proper  performance,  or  the  neglect  of  our  duty, 
we  make  or  mar  the  lives,  first,  of  those  in  our  immediate 
environment,  but  ultimately  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Earth,  and  more.  No  one  has  a  right  to  seek  the  higher 
life  without  having  performed  his  duty  to  his  family, 
his  country,  and  the  human  race.  To  selfishly  set  aside 
everything  else  and  live  solely  for  one's  own  spiritual 
advancement,  is  as  reprehensible  as  not  to  care  for  the 
spiritual  life  at  all.  Nay,  it  is  worse;  for  those  who  do 
their  duty  in  the  ordinary  life  to  the  best  of  their  ability, 
devoting  themselves  to  the  welfare  of  those  dependent 
upon  them,  are  cultivating  the  essential  quality  of  faith- 
fulness. They  will  certainly  advance  in  due  time  to  a 
point  where  they  will  become  awake  to  spiritual  necessi- 
ties, and  will  carry  to  that  work  the  faithfulness  developed 
elsewhere.  The  man  who  deliberately  turns  his  back  upon 
his  present  duties  to  take  up  the  spiritual  life  will  surely 
be  forced  back  into  the  path  of  duty  from  which  he  has 


470  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

mistakenly  diverged,  with  no  possible  means  of  escape 
until  the  lesson  has  been  learned. 

Certain  tribes  of  India  make  the  following  excellent 
division  of  life.  The  first  twenty  years  are  spent  in  ob- 
taining an  education ;  the  years  from  20  to  40  are  devoted 
to  the  duty  of  raising  a  family;  and  the  remaining  time 
is  devoted  to  spiritual  development,  without  any  physical 
cares  to  harass  or  distract  the  mind. 

During  the  first  period  the  child  is  supported  by  its 
parents;  during  the  second  period  the  man,  in  addition 
to  supporting  his  own  family,  cares  for  his  parents  while 
they  are  giving  their  attention  to  higher  things;  and 
during  the  balance  of  his  life,  he  is  in  turn  supported 
by  his  children. 

This  seems  a  very  sensible  method,  and  is  quite  satis- 
factory in  a  country  where  all,  from  the  cradle  to  the 
grave,  feel  the  spiritual  need,  to  such  degree  that  they 
mistakenly  neglect  material  development  except  as  im- 
pelled by  the  lash  of  direst  need,  and  where  the  children 
cheerfully  support  their  parents,  secure  in  the  knowledge 
that  they  will  be  supported  in  turn  and  thus  be  enabled 
to  devote  themselves  entirely  to  the  higher  life  after  hav- 
ing performed  their  duty  to  their  country  and  to  humanity. 
In  the  Western  World,  however,  where  no  spiritual  need 
is  at  present  felt  by  the  average  man  because  he  is  prop- 
erly following  material  lines  of  development,  such  a  mode 
of  life  would  be  impossible  of  realization. 

Spiritual  desire  never  comes  until  the  time  is  ripe,  and 
always  when  the  particular  conditions  obtain  under  which 
we  must  seek  its  gratification,  if  at  all.  Whatever  duties 
exist  which  are  apparent  restrictions  must  be  borne.  If 
the  care  of  a  family  prevents  the  complete  consecration 
desired,  the  aspirant  would  certainly  not  be  justified  in 


ACQUIKING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  471 

neglecting  duty  and  devoting  the  entire  time  and  energy 
to  spiritual  purposes.  An  effort  must  be  made  to  gratify 
such  aspirations  without  interfering  with  duty  to  family. 

If  the  desire  to  live  a  celibate  life  comes  to  a  person 
who  holds  marriage  relations  with  another,  the  obligations 
of  such  relations  are  not  to  be  forgotten.  It  would  be 
very  wrong,  by  practicing  celibacy  under  such  circum- 
stances, to  endeavor  to  escape  from  the  proper  perform- 
ance of  duty.  As  to  what  constitutes  duty  in  regard  to 
coition,  however,  there  is  a  standard  for  aspirants  to  the 
higher  life  different  from  that  of  the  ordinary  man  or 
woman. 

Most  people  regard  marriage  as  sanctioning  unlimited 
license  for  the  gratification  of  sexual  desire.  In  the  eyes 
of  statute  law,  perhaps  it  does  so,  but  no  man-made  law 
nor  custom  has  any  right  to  govern  this  matter.  Occult 
science  teaches  that  the  sex-function  should  never  be  used 
for  sense-gratification,  but  for  propagation  only.  There- 
fore an  aspirant  to  the  higher  life  would  be  justified  in 
refusing  coition  with  the  marriage  partner  unless  the 
object  were  the  begetting  of  a  child,  and  then  only  if  both 
parties  were  in  perfect  health — physically,  morally  and 
mentally — as  otherwise  the  union  would  be  likely  to  re- 
sult in  the  generation  of  a  feeble  or  degenerate  body. 

Each  person  owns  his  or  her  body,  and  is  responsible 
to  the  law  of  Consequence  for  any  misuse  resulting  from 
the  weak-willed  abandonment  of  that  body  to  another. 

In  the  light  of  the  foregoing,  and  looking  at  the  matter 
from  the  viewpoint  of  occult  science,  it  is  both  a  duty 
and  a  privilege  (to  be  exercised  with  thanks  for  the 
opportunity)  for  all  persons  who  are  healthy  and  of  sound 
mind  to  provide  vehicles  for  as  many  entities  as  is  con- 
sistent with  their  health  and  ability  to  care  for  the  same. 


472  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

And,  as  previously  stated,  most  particularly  are  aspirants 
to  the  higher  life  under  obligation  in  this  respect,  on  ac- 
count of  the  purification  which  their  purer  lives  have 
wrought  in  their  bodies,  because  of  which  they  are  better 
qualified  than  ordinary  humanity  to  generate  pure  vehicles. 
Thus  they  enable  high-class  entities  to  find  suitable 
vehicles  and  help  humanity  to  advance  by  affording  these 
waiting  Egos  opportunities  to  incarnate  and  exercise  their 
influence  at  an  earlier  period  than  would  otherwise  be 
possible. 

If  the  sex-force  is  used  in  the  way  indicated,  coition 
will  take  place  but  few  times  in  a  Hie,  and  practically  the 
entire  sex-force  may  be  used  for  spiritual  purposes.  It 
is  not  the  use,  but  the  abuse  that  causes  all  the  trouble 
and  interferes  with  the  spiritual  life,  so  there  is  no  need 
for  anyone  to  abandon  the  higher  life  bdcause  he  or  she 
cannot  be  celibate.  It  is  not  necessary  to  be  strictly  celi- 
bate while  going  through  the  lesser  Initiations.  The  vow 
of  absolute  celibacy  applies  to  the  greater  Initiations  only, 
and  even  then  a  single  act  of  fecundation  may  sometimes 
be  necessary  as  an  act  of  sacrifice,  as  was  the  case  in  pro- 
viding a  body  for  Christ. 

It  may  also  be  said  that  it  is  worse  to  suffer  from  a 
burning  desire,  to  be  constantly  thinking  vividly  of  the 
gratification  of  sense,  than  to  live  the  married  life  in 
moderation.  Christ  taught  that  unchaste  thoughts  are 
as  bad  as,  and  even  worse  than  unchaste  acts,  because 
thoughts  may  be  repeated  indefinitely,  whereas  there  is  at 
least  some  limit  to  acts. 

The  aspirant  to  the  higher  life  can  be  successful  only 
in  proportion  to  the  extent  of  the  subjugation  of  the  lower 
nature,  but  should  beware  of  the  other  extreme. 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  473 

THE  PITUITARY  BODY  AND  THE  PINEAL  GLAND. 

In  the  brain,  and  in  approximately  the  positions  shown 
in  diagram  17,  are  two  small  organs  called  the  pituitary 
body  and  the  pineal  gland.  Medical  science  knows  but 
little  about  these,  or  the  other  ductless  glands  of  the  body. 
It  calls  the  pineal  gland  "the  atrophied  third  eye,"  yet 
neither  it  nor  the  pituitary  body  are  atrophying.  This 
is  very  perplexing  to  scientists,  for  nature  retains  nothing 
useless.  All  over  the  body  we  find  organs  which  are  either 
atrophying  or  developing,  the  former  being  milestones, 
as  it  were,  along  the  path  which  man  has  traveled  to  reach 
his  present  stage  of  development,  the  latter  pointing  out 
the  lines  for  future  improvement  and  development.  For 
instance,  the  muscles  which  animals  use  to  move  the  ears 
are  present  in  man  also,  but  as  they  are  atrophying,  few 
people  can  use  them.  The  heart  belongs  to  the  class 
indicating  future  development;  as  already  shown,  it  is 
becoming  a  voluntary  muscle. 

The  pituitary  body  and  the  pineal  gland  belong  to  still 
another  class  of  organs,  which  at  the  present  time  are 
neither  evolving  nor  degenerating,  but  are  dormant.  In 
the  far  past,  when  man  was  in  touch  with  the  "inner'' 
Worlds,  these  organs  were  his  means  of  ingress  thereto, 
and  they  will  again  serve  that  purpose  at  a  later  stage. 
They  were  connected  with  the  involuntary  or  sympathetic 
nervous  system.  Man  then  saw  the  inner  Worlds,  as  in 
the  Moon  Period  and  the  latter  part  of  the  Lemurian  and 
early  Atlantean  Epochs.  Pictures  presented  themselves 
quite  independent  of  his  will.  The  sense-centers  of  his 
desire  body  were  spinning  around  counter-clockwise  (fol- 
lowing negatively  the  motion  of  the  Earth,  which  revolves 
on  its  axis  in  that  direction)  as  the  sense-centers  of 


474  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

"mediums"  do  to  this  day.  In  most  people  these  sense- 
centers  are  inactive,  but  true  development  will  set  them 
spinning  clockwise,  as  explained  elsewhere.  That  is  the 
difficult  feature  in  the  development  of  positive  clairvoy- 
ance. 

The  development  of  mediumship  is  much  easier,  be- 
cause it  is  merely  a  revival  of  the  mirror-like  function 
possessed  by  man  in  the  far  past,  by  which  the  outside 
world  was  involuntarily  reflected  in  him,  and  which  func- 
tion was  afterward  retained  by  inbreeding.  With  present- 
day  mediums  this  power  is  intermittent,  which  explains 
why  they  can  sometimes  "see"  and  at  other  times,  for  no 
apparent  reason,  fail  utterly.  Occasionally,  the  strong 
desire  of  the  client  enables  them  to  get  into  touch  with 
the  information  he  is  seeking,  on  which  occasions  they 
see  correctly,  but  they  are  not  always  honest.  Office  rent 
and  other  expenses  must  be  paid,  so  when  the  power 
(over  which  they  have  no  conscious  control)  fails  them, 
some  resort  to  fraud  and  utter  any  absurdity  that  occurs 
to  their  minds,  in  order  to  satisfy  their  client  and  get  his 
money,  thus  casting  discredit  upon  what  they  really  do 
see  at  other  times. 

The  aspirant  to  true  spiritual  sight  and  insight  must 
first  of  all  give  proof  of  unselfishness,  because  the  trained 
clairvoyant  has  no  "off  days."  He  is  not  in  the  least 
mirror-like,  dependent  upon  the  reflections  which  may 
happen  to  come  his  way.  He  is  able  to  reach  out  at  any 
time  and  in  any  direction,  and  read  the  thoughts  and 
plans  of  others,  provided  he  particularly  turns  his  atten- 
tion that  way — not  otherwise. 

The  great  danger  to  society  which  would  result  from 
the  indiscriminate  use  of  this  power  if  possessed  by  an  un- 
worthy individual,  can  be  easily  understood.  He  would 


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476  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

be  able  to  read  the  most  secret  thought.  Therefore  the 
initiate  is  bound  by  the  most  solemn  vows  never  to  use 
this  power  to  serve  his  individual  interest  in  the  slightest 
degree,  nor  to  save  himself  a  pang.  He  may  feed  five  thou- 
sand others  if  he  will,  but  he  must  not  turn  a  stone  into 
bread  to  appease  his  own  hunger.  He  may  heal  others  of 
palsy  and  leprosy,  but  by  the  Law  of  the  Universe,  he  is 
forbidden  to  stanch  his  own  mortal  wounds.  Because  he 
is  bound  by  his  vow  of  absolute  unselfishness,  it  is  ever 
true  of  the  Initiate  that  although  he  saves  others,  himself 
he  cannot  save. 

So  the  trained  clairvoyant  who  really  has  something  to 
give  will  never  hang  out  a  sign  offering  to  exercise  his 
gifts  for  a  fee,  but  will  give  and  give  freely  where  he  con- 
siders it  consistent  with  the  ripe  destiny  generated  under 
the  law  of  consequence  by  the  person  to  be  helped. 

Trained  clairvoyance  is  the  kind  used  for  investigating 
occult  facts,  and  it  is  the  only  kind  that  is  of  any  use  for 
that  purpose.  Therefore  the  aspirant  must  feel,  not  a  wish 
to  gratify  an  idle  curiosity,  but  a  holy  and  unselfish  desire 
to  help  humanity.  Until  such  a  desire  exists,  no  progress 
can  be  made  in  the  attainment  of  positive  clairvoyance. 

In  the  ages  that  have  passed  since  the  Lemurian  Epoch 
humanity  has  been  gradually  building  the  cerebro-spinal 
nervous  system,  which  is  under  the  control  of  the  will.  In 
the  latter  part  of  the  Atlantean  Epoch,  this  was  so  far 
evolved  that  it  became  possible  for  the  Ego  to  take  full  pos- 
session of  the  dense  body.  That  was  the  time  (previously 
described)  when  the  point  in  the  vital  body  came  into  cor- 
respondence with  the  point  at  the  root  of  the  nose  in  the 
dense  body  and  the  indwelling  spirit  became  awake  in  the 
Physical  World  but,  so  far  as  the  greater  part  of  humanity 
was  concerned,  lost  consciousness  of  the  inner  Worlds. 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  477 

Since  then,  the  connection  of  the  pineal  gland  and  the 
pituitary  body  with  the  cerebro-spinal  nervous  system  has 
been  slowly  building,  and  is  now  all  but  complete. 

To  regain  contact  with  the  inner  Worlds,  all  that  re- 
mains to  be  done  is  the  reawakening  of  the  pituitary  body 
and  the  pineal  gland.  When  that  is  accomplished,  man 
will  again  possess  the  faculty  of  perception  in  the  higher 
worlds,  but  on  a  grander  scale  than  formerly,  because  it 
will  be  in  connection  with  the  voluntary  nervous  system 
and  therefore  under  the  control  of  his  Will.  Through  this 
inner  perceptive  faculty  all  avenues  of  knowledge  will  be 
opened  to  him  and  he  will  have  at  his  service  a  means  of 
acquiring  information  compared  with  which  all  other 
methods  of  investigation  are  but  child's  play. 

The  awakening  of  these  organs  is  accomplished  by  Eso- 
teric Training,  which  we  will  now  describe,  as  far  as  may 
be  done  in  public. 

ESOTERIC  TRAINING. 

In  the  majority  of  people,  the  greater  part  of  the  sex- 
force  which  may  legitimately  be  used  through  the  creative 
organs  is  expended  for  sense-gratification;  therefore  in 
such  people  there  is  very  little  of  the  ascending  current 
shown  in  diagram  17. 

When  the  aspirant  to  the  higher  life  begins  to  curb  these 
excesses  more  and  more,  and  to  devote  his  attention  to 
spiritual  thoughts  and  efforts,  the  trained  clairvoyant  can 
perceive  the  unused  sex-force  commencing  to  ascend.  It 
surges  upward  in  stronger  and  stronger  volume,  along  the 
path  indicated  by  the  arrows  in  diagram  17,  traversing 
the  heart  and  the  larynx  or  the  spinal  cord  and  the  larynx 
or  both,  and  then  passing  directly  between  the  pituitary 
body  and  the  pineal  gland  toward  the  dark  point  at  the 


478  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

root  of  the  nose  where  "The  Silent  Watcher,"  the  highest 
spirit,  has  its  seat. 

These  currents  do  riot  usually  take  one  of  the  two  paths 
indicated  in  the  diagram  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  the 
other,  but  generally  one  path  is  traveled  by  the  greater 
volume  of  the  sex-currents,  according  to  the  temperament 
of  the  aspirant.  In  one  who  is  seeking  enlightenment 
along  purely  intellectual  lines  the  current  travels  particu- 
larly over  the  spinal  cord  and  only  a  small  part  goes  over 
the  path  through  the  heart.  In  the  mystic  who  feels 
rather  than  knows,  the  currents  find  their  way  upwards 
through  the  heart. 

Both  are  developing  abnormally,  and  each  must  some-' 
time  take  up  the  development  he  has  neglected,  so  as  to 
become  fully  rounded.  Therefore  the  Eosicrucians  aim 
to  give  a  teaching .  that  will  satisfy  both  classes,  although 
their  main  efforts  are  expended  in  reaching  the  intellec- 
tually minded,  for  their  need  is  the  greatest. 

This  current  of  itself,  however,  even  though  it  assumes 
the  proportions  of  a  Niagara  and  flows  until  the  crack  of 
doom,  will  be  useless.  But  still,  as  it  is  not  only  a  neces- 
sary accompaniment,  but  a  pre-requisite  to  self-conscious 
work  in  the  inner  World,  it  must  be  cultivated  to  some 
extent  before  the  real  esoteric  training  can  begin.  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  a  moral  life  devoted  to  spiritual  thought 
must  be  lived  by  the  aspirant  for  a  certain  length  of  time 
before  ft  is  possible  to  commence  the  work  that  will  give 
him  first-hand  knowledge  of  the  super-physical  realms  and 
enable  him  to  become,  in  the  truest  sense,  a  helper  of 
humanity. 

When  the  candidate  has  lived  such  a  life  for  a  time  suf- 
ficient to  establish  the  current  of  spiritual  force,  and  is 
found  worthy  and  qualified  to  receive  esoteric  instruction, 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  47?, 

he  is  taught  certain  exercises,  to  set  the  pituitary  body  in 
vibration.  This  vibration  causes  the  pituitary  body  to  im- 
pinge upon  and  slightly  deflect  the  nearest  line  of  force 
(See  diagram  17).  This,  in  turn,  impinges  upon  the  line 
netx  to  it,  and  so  the  process  continues  until  the  force  of 
the  vibration  has  been  spent.  It  is  similar  to  the  way  in 
which  the  striking  of  one  note  on  a  piano  will  produce  a 
number  of  overtones,  by  setting  up  a  vibration  in  the  other 
strings  which  are  at  proper  intervals  of  pitch. 

When  by  the  increased  vibration  of  the  pituitary  body, 
the  lines  of  force  have  been  deflected  sufficiently  to  reach 
the  pineal  gland,  the  object  has  been  accomplished,  the  gap 
between  these  two  organs  has  been  bridged.  This  is  the 
bridge  between  the  World  of  Sense  and  the  World  of  De- 
sire. From  the  time  it  is  built,  man  becomes  clairvoyant 
and  able  to  direct  his  gaze  where  he  will.  Solid  objects  are 
seen  both  inside  and  out.  To  him  space  and  solidity,  as 
hindrances  to  observation,  have  ceased  to  exist. 

He  is  not  yet  a  trained  clairvoyant,  but  he  is  a  clairvoy- 
ant at  will,  a  voluntary  clairvoyant.  His  is  a  very  different 
faculty  from  that  possessed  by  the  medium,  who  is  usually 
an  involuntary  clairvoyant  and  can  see  only  what  comes; 
or  who  has,  at  best,  very  little  more  than  the  purely  nega- 
tive faculty.  But  the  person  in  whom  this  bridge  is  once 
built  is  always  in  sure  touch  with  the  inner  Worlds,  the 
connection  being  made  and  broken  at  his  will.  By  degrees, 
the  observer  learns  to  control  the  vibration  of  the  pituitary 
body  in  a  manner  enabling  him  to  get  in  touch  with  any  of 
the  regions  of  the  inner  Worlds  which  he  desires  to  visit. 
The  faculty  is  completely  under  the  control  of  his  will.  It 
is  not  necessary  for  him  to  go  into  a  trance  or  do  anything 
abnormal,  to  raise  his  consciousness  to  the  Desire  World. 
He  simply  wills  to  see,  and  sees. 


480  KOSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

As  was  explained  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  work,  the 
neophyte  must  learn  to  see  in  the  Desire  World,  or  rather, 
he  must  learn  how  to  understand  what  he  sees  there.  In 
the  Physical  World  objects  are  dense,  solid,  and  do  not 
change  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  In  the  Desire  World 
they  change  in  the  most  erratic  manner.  This  is  a  source 
of  endless  confusion  to  the  negative  involuntary  clairvoy- 
ant, and  even  to  the  neophyte  who  enters  under  the  guid- 
ance of  a  teacher,  but  the  teaching  soon  brings  the  pupil 
to  a  point  where  the  Form  may  change  as  often  as  it  will ; 
he  can  perceive  the  Life  that  causes  the  change,  and  knows 
it  for  what  it  is,  despite  all  possible  and  puzzling  changes. 

There  is  also  another  and  most  important  distinction  to 
be  made.  The  power  which  enables  one  to  perceive  the 
objects  in  a  world  is  not  identical  with  the  power  of  enter- 
ing that  world  and  functioning  there.  The  voluntary  clair- 
voyant, though  he  may  have  received  some  training,  and  is 
able  to  distinguish  the  true  from  the  false  in  the  Desire 
World,  is  in  practically  the  same  relation  to  it  as  a  prisoner 
behind  a  barred  window  is  to  the  outside  world — he  can 
see  it,  but  cannot  function  therein.  Therefore  esoteric 
training  not  only  opens  up  the  inner  vision  of  the  aspirant, 
but  at  the  proper  time  further  exercises  are  given  to  fur- 
nish him  with  a  vehicle  in  which  he  can  function  in  the 
inner  Worlds  in  a  perfectly  self-conscious  manner. 

How  THE  INNER  VEHICLE  Is  BUILT. 

In  ordinary  life  most  people  live  to  eat,  they  drink, 
gratify  the  sex-passion  in  an  unrestrained  manner,  and  lose 
their  tempers  on  the  slightest  provocation.  Though  out- 
wardly these  people  may  be  very  "respectable,"  they  are, 
nearly  every  day  of  their  lives,  causing  almost  utter  con- 
fusion in  their  organization.  The  entire  period  of  sleep 


ACQUIBING  FIKST-IIAND  KNOWLEDGE  481 

is  spent  by  the  desire  and  the  vital  bodies  in  repairing  the 
damage  done  in  the  day  time,  leaving  no  time  for  outside 
work  of  any  kind.  But  as  the  individual  begins  to  feel 
the  needs  of  the  higher  life,  control  sex-force,  and  temper, 
and  cultivate  a  serene  disposition,  there  is  less  disturbance 
caused  in  the  vehicles  during  waking  hours;  consequently 
less  time  is  required  to  repair  the  damage  during  sleep. 
Thus  it  becomes  possible  to  leave  the  dense  body  for  long 
periods  during  sleeping  hours,  and  function  in  the  inner 
Worlds  in  the  higher  vehicles.  As  the  desire  body  and 
the  mind  are  not  yet  organized,  they  are  of  no  use  as  sep- 
arate vehicles  of  consciousness.  Neither  can  the  vital  body 
leave  the  dense  body,  as  that  would  cause  death,  so  it  is 
evident  that  measures  must  be  taken  to  provide  an  or- 
ganized vehicle  which  is  fluidic  and  so  constructed  that  it 
will  meet  the  needs  of  the  Ego  in  the  inner  Worlds  as  does 
the  dense  body  in  the  Physical  World. 

The  vital  body  is  such  an  organized  vehicle,  and  if  some 
means  could  be  found  to  loosen  it  from  the  dense  body 
without  causing  death,  the  problem  would  be  solved.  Be- 
sides, the  vital  body  is  the  seat  of  memory,  without  which 
it  would  be  impossible  to  bring  back  into  our  physical  con- 
sciousness the  remembrance  of  super-physical  experiences 
and  thus  obtain  the  full  benefit  of  them. 

We  remember  that  the  Hierophants  of  the  old  Mystery 
Temples  segregated  some  of  the  people  into  castes  and 
tribes  such  as  the  Brahmins  and  the  Levites,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  providing  bodies  for  the  use  of  such  Egos  as  were 
advanced  enough  to  be  ready  for  Initiation.  This  was  done 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  vital  body  became  separable 
into  two  parts,  as  were  the  desire  bodies  of  all  humanity 
at  the  beginning  of  the  Earth  Period.  When  the  Hiero- 
phant  took  the  pupils  out  of  their  bodies  he  left  one  part 


482  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

of  the  vital  body,  comprising  the  first  and  second  ethers,  to 
perform  the  purely  animal  functions  (they  are  the  only 
ones  active  during  sleep),  the  pupil  taking  with  him  a 
vehicle  capable  of  perception,  because  of  its  connection 
with  the  sense-centers  of  the  dense  body;  and  also  capable 
of  memory.  It  possessed  these  capabilities  because  it  was 
composed  of  the  third  and  fourth  ethers,  which  are  the 
mediums  of  sense-perception  and  memory. 

This  is,  in  fact,  that  part  of  the  vital  body  which  the 
aspirant  retains  from  life  to  life,  and  immortalizes  as  the 
Intellectual  Soul. 

Since  Christ  came  and  "took  away  the  sin  of  the  world," 
(not  of  the  individual)  purifying  the  desire  body  of  our 
planet,  the  connection  between  all  human  dense  and  vital 
bodies  has  been  loosened  to  such  an  extent  that,  by  train- 
ing, they  are  capable  of  separation  as  above  described. 
Therefore  Initiation  is  open  to  all. 

The  finer  part  of  the  desire  body,  which  constitutes  the 
Emotional  Soul,  is  capable  of  separation  in  most  people 
(in  fact,  it  possessed  that  capability  even  before  Christ 
came)  and  thus  when,  by  concentration  and  the  use  of  the 
proper  formula,  the  finer  parts  of  the  vehicles  have  been 
segregated  for  use  during  sleep,  or  at  any  other  time,  the 
lower  parts  of  the  desire  and  vital  bodies  are  still  left  to 
carry  on  the  processes  of  restoration  in  the  dense  vehicle, 
the  mere  animal  part. 

That  part  of  the  vital  body  which  goes  out  is  highly  or- 
ganized, as  we  have  seen.  It  is  an  exact  counterpart  of  the 
dense  body.  The  desire  body  and  the  mind,  not  being  or- 
ganized, are  of  use  only  because  they  are  connected  with 
the  highly  organized  dense  body.  When  separated  from 
it  they  are  but  poor  instruments,  therefore  before  man 


ACQUIRING  FIEST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  483 

can  withdraw  from  the  dense  body,  the  sense-centers  of  the 
desire  body  must  be  awakened. 

In  ordinary  life  the  Ego  is  inside  its  bodies  and  its  force 
is  directed  outward.  All  man's  will  and  energy  are  bent 
upon  the  task  of  subduing  the  outside  world.  At  no  time 
is  he  able  to  get  away  from  the  impressions  of  his  outside 
environment  and  thus  be  free  to  work  on  himself  in  his 
waking  hours.  During  sleep,  when  such  an  opportunity 
is  afforded,  because  of  the  dense  body  having  lost  con- 
sciousness of  the  world,  the  Ego  is  outside  his  bodies.  If 
man  is  to  work  on  his  vehicles  at  all,  it  must  be  when  the 
outside  world  is  shut  out  as  in  sleep,  but  yet  the  spirit  still 
remains  within  and  in  full  control  of  the  faculties,  as  it  is 
in  the  waking  state.  Not  until  such  a  state  can  be  attained 
will  it  be  possible  for  the  spirit  to  work  inwardly  and  prop- 
erly sensitize  its  vehicles. 

Concentration  is  such  a  state.  When  in  it,  the  senses 
are  stilled  and  a  person  is  outwardly  in  the  same  condition 
as  in  the  deepest  sleep,  yet  the  spirit  remains  within  and 
fully  conscious.  Most  people  have  experienced  this  state, 
at  least  in  some  degree,  when  they  have  become  interested 
to  absorption  in  a  book.  At  such  times  they  live  in  the 
scenes  depicted  by  the  author  and  are  lost  to  their  environ- 
ment. When  spoken  to,  they  are  oblivious  to  the  sound, 
so  to  all  else  transpiring  around  them,  yet  they  are  fully 
awake  to  all  they  are  reading,  to  the  invisible  world  created 
by  the  author,  living  there  and  feeling  the  heart-beats  of 
all  the  different  characters  in  the  story.  They  are  not 
independent,  but  are  bound  in  the  life  which  some  one  has 
created  for  them  in  the  book. 

The  aspirant  to  the  higher  life  cultivates  the  faculty  of 
becoming  absorbed  at  will  in  any  subject  he  chooses,  or 
rather  not  a  subject  usually,  but  a  very  simple  object,  which 


484  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

he  imagines.  Thus  when  the  proper  condition  or  point  of 
absorption  has  been  reached  where  his  senses  are  absolutely 
still,  he  concentrates  his  thought  upon  the  different  sense- 
centers  of  the  desire  body  and  they  start  to  revolve. 

At  first  their  motion  is  slow  and  hard  to  bring  about, 
but  by  degrees  the  sense-centers  of  the  desire  body  will 
make  places  for  themselves  within  the  dense  and  vital 
bodies,  which  learn  to  accommodate  themselves  to  this  new 
activity.  Then  some  day,  when  the  proper  life  has 
developed  the  requisite  cleavage  between  the  higher  and 
lower  parts  of  the  vital  body,  there  is  a  supreme  effort  of 
the  will;  a  spiral  motion  in  many  directions  takes  place, 
and  the  aspirant  stands  outside  his  dense  body.  He  looks 
at  it  as  at  another  person.  The  door  of  his  prison-house 
has  been  opened.  He  is  free  to  come  and  go,  as  much  at 
liberty  in  the  inner  worlds  as  in  the  Physical  World,  func- 
tioning at  will,  in  the  inner  or  outer  World,  a  helper  of 
all  desiring  his  services  in  any  of  them. 

Before  the  aspirant  learns  to  voluntarily  leave  the  body, 
he  may  have  worked  in  the  desire  body  during  sleep,  for 
in  some  people  the  desire  body  becomes  organized  before 
the  separation  can  be  brought  about  in  the  vital  body.  Un- 
der those  conditions  it  is  impossible  to  bring  back  these 
subjective  experiences  to  waking  consciousness,  but  gen- 
erally in  such  cases  it  will  be  noticed,  as  the  first  sign  of 
development,  that  all  confused  dreams  will  cease.  Then, 
after  a  while,  the  dreams  will  become  more  vivid  and  per- 
fectly logical.  The  aspirant  will  dream  of  being  in  places 
and  with  people  (whether  known  to  him  in  waking  hours 
or  not  matters  little),  conducting  himself  in  as  reasonable 
a  way  as  if  he  were  in  the  waking  state.  If  the  place  of 
which  he  dreams  is  accessible  to  him  in  waking  hours,  he 
may  sometimes  get  proof  of  the  reality  of  his  dream  if  he 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  435 

will  note  some  physical  detail  of  the  scene  and  verify  his 
nocturnal  impression  next  day. 

He  will  next  find  that  he  can,  during  sleeping  hours, 
visit  any  place  he  desires  upon  the  face  of  the  Earth  and 
investigate  it  a  great  deal  more  thoroughly  than  if  he  had 
gone  there  in  the  dense  body,  because  in  his  desire  body 
he  has  access  to  all  places,  regardless  of  locks  and  bars. 
If  he  persists,  there  will  at  last  come  a  day  when  he  need 
not  wait  for  sleep  to  dissolve  the  connection  between  his 
vehicles,  but  can  consciously  set  himself  free. 

Specific  directions  for  freeing  the  higher  vehicles  can- 
not be  given  indiscriminately.  The  separation  is  brought 
about,  not  by  a  set  formula  of  words,  but  rather  by  an  act 
of  will,  yet  the  manner  in  which  the  will  is  directed  is  in- 
dividual, and  can  therefore  be  given  only  by  a  competent 
teacher.  Like  all  other  real  esoteric  information,  it  is 
never  sold,  but  comes  only  as  a  result  of  the  pupil  qualify- 
ing himself  to  receive  it.  All  that  can  be  done  here  is  to 
give  an  indication  of  the  first  steps  which  lead  up  to  the 
acquirement  of  the  faculty  of  voluntary  clairvoyance. 

The  most  favorable  time  to  exercise  is  on  first  awaken- 
ing in  the  morning,  before  any  of  the  worries  and  cares  of 
daily  life  have  entered  the  mind.  At  that  time  one  is  fresh 
from  the  inner  Worlds  and  therefore  more  easily  brought 
back  into  touch  with  them  than  at  any  other  time  of  the 
day.  Do  not  wait  to  dress,  or  sit  up  in  bed,  but  relax  the 
body  perfectly  and  let  the  exercises  be  the  first  waking 
thought.  Relaxation  does  not  mean  simply  a  comfortable 
position ;  it  is  possible  to  have  every  muscle  tense  with  ex- 
pectation and  that  of  itself  frustrates  the  object,  for  in  that 
condition  the  desire  body  is  gripping  the  muscles.  It  can- 
not do  otherwise  till  we  calm  the  mind. 


486  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

CONCENTRATION. 

The  first  thing  to  practice  is  fixing  one's  thoughts  upon 
some  ideal  and  holding  them  there  without  letting  them 
swerve.  It  is  an  exceedingly  hard  task,  but,  to  some  extent 
at  least,  it  must  be  accomplished  before  it  is  possible  to 
make  any  further  progress.  Thought  is  the  power  we  use 
in  making  images,  pictures,  thought-forms,  according  to 
ideas  from  within.  It  is  our  principal  power,  and  we  must 
learn  to  have  absolute  control  of  it,  so  that  what  we  pro- 
duce is  not  wild  illusion  induced  by  outside  conditions,  but 
true  imagination  generated  by  the  spirit  from  within  (see 
diagram  1). 

Sceptics  will  say  that  it  is  all  imagination  but,  as  said 
before,  if  the  inventor  had  not  been  able  to  imagine  the 
telephone,  etc.,  we  would  not  today  possess  those  things. 
His  imaginings  were  not  generally  correct  or  true  at  first, 
otherwise  the  inventions  would  have  worked  successfully 
from  the  beginning,  without  the  many  'failures  and  ap- 
parently useless  experiments  that  have  nearly  always  pre- 
ceded the  production  of  the  practical  and  serviceable  in- 
strument or  machine.  Neither  is  the  imagination  of  the 
budding  occult  scientist  correct  at  first.  The  only  way  to 
make  it  true  is  by  uninterrupted  practice,  day  after  day, 
exercising  the  will  to  keep  the  thought  focussed  upon  one 
subject,  object,  or  idea,  exclusive  of  all  else.  Thought  is  a 
great  power  which  we  have  been  accustomed  to  waste.  It 
has  been  allowed  to  flow  on  aimlessly,  as  water  flows  over  a 
precipice  before  it  is  made  to  turn  the  wheel. 

The  rays  of  the  Sun,  diffused  over  the  entire  surface  of 
the  Earth,  produce  only  a  moderate  warmth,  but  if  even  a 
few  of  them  are  concentrated  by  means  of  a  glass,  they  are 
capable  of  producing  fire  at  the  focusing-point. 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  43? 

Thought-force  is  the  most  powerful  means  of  obtaining 
knowledge.  If  it  is  concentrated  upon  a  subject,  it  will 
burn  its  way  through  any  obstacle  and  solve  the  problem. 
If  the  requisite  amount  of  thought-force  is  brought  to  bear, 
there  is  nothing  that  is  beyond  the  power  of  human  com- 
prehension. So  long  as  we  scatter  it,  thought-force  is  of 
little  use  to  us,  but  as  soon  as  we  are  prepared  to  take  the 
trouble  necessary  to  harness  it,  all  knowledge  is  ours. 

We  often  hear  people  exclaim  petulantly,  "Oh,  I  cannot 
think  of  a  hundred  things  at  once!"  when  really  that  is 
exactly  what  they  have  been  doing,  and  what  has  caused 
the  very  trouble  of  which  they  complain.  People  are  con- 
stantly thinking  of  a  hundred  things  other  than  the  one 
they  have  in  hand.  Every  success  has  been  accomplished 
by  persistent  concentration  upon  the  desired  end. 

This  is  something  the  aspirant  to  the  higher  life  must 
positively  learn  to  do.  There  is  no  other  way.  At  first  he 
will  find  himself  thinking  of  everything  under  the  sun  in- 
stead of  the  ideal  upon  which  he  has  decided  to  concen- 
trjilc,  but  he  must  not  let  that  discourage  him.  In  time 
he  will  find*  it  easier  to  still  his  senses  and  hold  his 
thoughts  steady.  Persistence,  persistence,  and  always 
PERSISTENCE  will  win  at  last.  Without  that,  how- 
ever, no  results  can  be  expected.  It  is  of  no  use  to  perform 
the  exercises  for  two  or  three  mornings  or  weeks  and  then 
neglect  them  for  as  long.  To  be  effective  they  must  be 
done  faithfully  every  morning  without  fail. 

Any  subject  may  be  selected,  according  to  the  tempera- 
ment and  mental  persuasion  of  the  aspirant,  so  long  as 
it  is  pure  and  mentally  uplifting  in  its  tendency.  Christ 
will  do  for  some;  others,  who  love  flowers  particularly,  are 
most  easily  helped  by  taking  one  as  the  subject  of  concen- 
tration. The  object  matters  little,  but  whatever  it  is  we 


488  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

must  imagine  it  true  to  life  in  all  details.  If  it  is  Christ, 
we  must  imagine  a  real  Christ,  with  mobile  features,  life 
in  His  eyes,  and  an  expresson  that  is  not  stony  and  dead. 
We  must  build  a  living  ideal,  not  a  statue.  If  it  is  a 
flower,  we  must,  in  imagination,  take  the  seed  and  having 
buried  it  in  the  ground,  fix  our  mind  upon  it  steadily. 
Presently  we  shall  see  it  burst,  shooting  forth  its  roots, 
which  penetrate  the  Earth  in  a  spiral  manner.  From  the 
main  branches  of  the  roots  we  watch  the  myriads  of  minute 
rootlets,  as  they  branch  out  and  ramify  in  all  directions. 
Then  the  stem  begins  to  shoot  upward,  bursting  through 
the  surface  of  the  earth  and  coming  forth  as  a  tiny  green 
stalk.  It  grows;  presently  there  is  an  off-set;  a  tiny  twig 
shoots  out  from  the  main  stem.  It  grows;  another  off-set 
and  a  branch  appears;  from  the  branches,  little  stalks 
with  buds  at  the  end  shoot  out ;  presently  there  are  a  num- 
ber of  leaves.  Then  comes  a  bud  at  the  top;  it  grows 
larger  until  it  begins  to  burst  and  the  red  leaves  of  the 
rose  show  beneath  the  green.  It  unfolds  in  the  air,  emit- 
ting an  exquisite  perfume,  which  we  sense  perfectly  as  it 
is  wafted  to  us  on  the  balmy  summer  breeze  which  gently 
eawys  the  beautiful  creation  before  the  mind's  eye. 

Only  when  we  "imagine"  in  such  clear  and  complete  out- 
lines as  these,  do  we  enter  into  the  spirit  of  concentration. 
There  must  be  no  shadowy,  faint  resemblance. 

Those  who  have  traveled  in  India  have  told  of  fakirs 
showing  them  a  seed,  which  was  planted  and  grew  before 
the  eyes  of  the  astonished  witness,  bearing  fruit  which  the 
traveler  tasted.  That  was  done  by  concentration  so  intense 
that  the  picture  was  visible,  not  only  to  the  fakir  himself, 
but  also  to  the  spectators.  A  case  is  recorded  where  the 
members  of  a  committee  of  scientists  all  saw  the  wonderful 
things  done  before  their  eyes,  under  conditions  where 


ACQUIEING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  489 

sleight-of-hand  was  impossible,  yet  the  photographs  which 
they  obtained  while  the  experiment  was  in  progress,  came 
to  naught.  There  was  no  impression  on  the  sensitive 
plates,  because  there  had  been  no  material,  concrete  objects. 

At  first  the  pictures  which  the  aspirant  builds  will  be 
but  shadowy  and  poor  likenesses,  but  in  the  end  he  can, 
by  concentration,  conjure  up  an  image  more  real  and  alive 
than  things  in  the  Physical  World. 

When  the  aspirant  has  become  able  to  form  such  pictures 
and  has  succeeded  in  holding  his  mind  upon  the  picture 
thus  created,  he  may  try  to  drop  the  picture  suddenly  and, 
holding  his  mind  steady  without  any  thought,  wait  to  see 
what  comes  into  the  vacuum. 

For  a  long  time  nothing  may  appear  and  the  aspirant 
must  carefully  guard  against  making  visions  for  himself, 
but  if  he  keeps  on  faithfully  and  patiently  every  morning, 
there  will  come  a  time  when,  the  moment  he  has  let  the 
imaged  picture  drop,  in  a  flash  the  surrounding  Desire 
World  will  open  up  to  his  inner  eye.  At  first  it  may  be 
but  a  mere  glimpse,  but  it  is  an  earnest  of  what  will  later 
come  at  will. 

MEDITATION. 

When  the  aspirant  has  practiced  concentration  for  some 
time,  focussing  the  mind  upon  some  simple  object,  build- 
ing a  living  thought-form  by  means  of  the  imaginative 
faculty,  he  will,  by  means  of  Meditation,  learn  all  about 
the  object  thus  created. 

Supposing  that  the  aspirant  has,  by  concentration, 
called  up  the  image  of  the  Christ.  It  is  very  easy  to 
meditatively  recall  the  incidents  of  His  life,  suffering 
and  resurrection,  but  much  beyond  that  can  be  learned 
by  meditation.  Knowledge  never  before  dreamed  of  will 


490  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

flood  the  soul  with  a  glorious  light.  Yet  something  that 
is  uninteresting  and  does  not  of  itself  suggest  anything 
marvelous,  is  better  for  practice.  Try  to  find  out  all 
about — say,  a  match,  or  a  common  table. 

When  the  image  of  the  table  has  been  clearly  formed 
in  the  mind,  think  what  kind  of  wood  it  is  and  whence 
it  came.  Go  back  to  the  time  when,  as  a  tiny  seed,  the 
tree  from  which  the  wood  was  cut  first  fell  into  the  forest 
soil.  Watch  it  grow  from  year  to  year,  covered  by  the 
snows  of  winter  and  warmed  by  the  summer  Sun,  steadily 
growing  upward — its  roots  meanwhile  constantly  spread- 
ing under  the  ground.  First  it  is  a  tender  sapling,  sway- 
ing in  the  breeze;  then,  as  a  young  tree,  it  gradually 
stretches  higher  and  higher  toward  the  air  and  the  sun- 
shine. As  the  years  pass,  its  girth  becomes  greater  and 
greater,  until  at  last  one  day  the  logger  comes,  with  his 
axe  and  saw  gleaming  as  they  reflect  the  rays  of  the  winter 
Sun.  Our  tree  is  felled  and  shorn  of  its  branches,  leav- 
ing but  the  trunk;  that  is  cut  into  logs,  which  are  hauled 
over  the  frozen  roads  to  the  river-bank,  there  to  await  the 
springtime  when  the  melting  snow  swells  the  streams. 
A  great  raft  of  the  logs  is  made,  the  pieces  of  our  tree 
being  among  them.  We  know  every  little  peculiarity 
about  them  and  would  recognize  them  instantly  among 
thousands,  so  clearly  have  we  marked  them  in  bur  mind. 
We  follow  the  raft  down  the  stream,  noting  the  passing 
landscape  and  becoming  familiar  with  the  men  who  have 
the  care  of  the  raft  and  who  sleep  upon  little  huts  built 
upon  their  floating  charge.  At  last  we  see  it  arrive  at 
a  sawmill  and  disbanded.  One  by  one  the  logs  are  grasped 
by  prongs  on  an  endless  chain  and  hauled  out  of  the  water. 
Here  comes  one  of  our  logs,  the  widest  part  of  which  will 
be  made  into  the  top  of  our  table.  It  is  hauled  out  of 


ACQUIRING   FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  491 

the  water  to  the  log-deck  and  rolled  about  by  men  with 
peavies.  We  hear  the  hungry  whine  of  the  great  circular 
saws  as  they  revolve  so  fast  that  they  appear  as  mere  blurs 
before  our  eyes.  Our  log  is  placed  upon  a  carriage  which 
is  propelled  toward  one  of  them,  and  in  a  moment  those 
teeth  of  steel  are  tearing  their  way  through  its  body  and 
dividing  it  into  boards  and  planks.  Some  of  the  wood 
is  selected  to  form  part  of  a  building,  but  the  best  of  it 
is  taken  to  a  furniture  factory  and  put  into  a  kiln,  where 
it  is  dried  by  steam  so  that  it  will  not  shrink  after  it  has 
been  made  into  furniture.  Then  it  is  taken  out  and  put 
through  a  great  planing  machine  with  many  sharp  knives, 
which  makes  it  smooth.  Next  it  is  sawn  off  into  different 
lengths  and  glued  together  to  form  table-tops.  The  legs 
are  turned  from  thicker  pieces  and  set  into  the  frame 
which  supports  the  top ;  then  the  whole  article  is  smoothed 
again  with  sandpaper,  varnished  and  polished,  thus  com- 
pleting the  table  in  every  respect.  It  is  next  sent  out, 
with  other  furniture,  to  the  store  where  we  bought  it, 
and  we  follow  it  as  it  is  carted  from  that  place  to  our 
home  and  left  in  our  dining-room. 

Thus,  by  meditation,  we  have  become  conversant  with 
the  various  branches  of  industry  necessary  to  convert  a 
forest  tree  into  a  piece  of  furniture.  We  have  seen  all 
the  machines  and  the  men,  and  noted  the  peculiarities  of 
the  various  places.  We  have  even  followed  the  life  process 
whereby  that  tree  has  grown  from  a  tiny  seed,  and  have 
learned  that  back  of  seemingly  very  commonplace  things 
there  is  a  great  and  absorbingly  interesting  history.  A 
pin;  the  match  with  which  we  light  the  gas;  the  gas 
itself;  and  the  room  in  which  that  gas  is  burned — all 
have  interesting  histories,  well  worth  learning. 


492  ROSICKUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

OBSERVATION". 

One  of  the  most  important  aids  to  the  aspirant  in  his 
efforts  is  observation.  Most  people  go  through  life  blind- 
folded. Of  them  it  is  literally  true  that  they  "have  eyes, 
and  see  not;  .  .  .  have  ears,  and  hear  not."  Upon  the 
part  of  the  majority  of  humanity  there  is  a  deplorable 
lack  of  observation. 

Most  people  are,  to  some  extent,  excusable  for  this,  be- 
cause their  sight  is  not  normal.  Urban  life  has  caused 
untold  damage  to  the  eyes.  In  the  country  the  child 
learns  to  use  the  muscles  of  the  eye  to  the  full  extent, 
relaxing  or  contracting  them  as  required  to  see  objects 
at  considerable  distances  in  the  open,  or  close  at  hand 
in  and  about  the  house.  But  the  city-bred  child  sees 
practically  everything  close  at  hand  and  the  muscles  of  its 
eyes  are  seldom  used  to  observe  objects  at  any  great 
distance,  therefore  that  faculty  is  to  a  great  extent  lost, 
resulting  in  a  prevalence  of  near-sightedness  and  other 
eye  troubles. 

It  is  very  important  to  one  aspiring  to  the  higher  life 
that  he  be  able  to  see  all  things  about  him  in  clear, 
definite  outlines,  and  in  full  detail.  To  one  suffering 
from  defective  sight,  the  use  of  glasses  is  like  opening  up 
a  new  world.  Instead  of  the  former  mistiness,  everything 
is  seen  clearly  and  definitely.  If  the  condition  of  the 
sight  requires  the  use  of  two  foci,  one  should  not  be  con- 
tent with  having  two  pairs  of  glasses,  one  for  near  and 
one  for  far  seeing,  thus  necessitating  frequent  changes. 
Not  only  are  the  changes  wearisome,  but  one  is  very  apt 
to  forget  one  pair  when  leaving  home.  The  two  foci  can 
be  had  in  one  pair  of  bi-focal  glasses,  and  such  should  be 
worn,  to  facilitate  observation  of  the  minutest  details. 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  493 

DISCRIMINATION. 

When  the  aspirant  has  attended  to  his  eyesight,  he 
should  systematically  observe  everything  and  everybody, 
drawing  conclusions  from  actions,  to  cultivate  the  faculty 
of  logical  reasoning.  Logic  is  the  best  teacher  in  the 
Physical  World,  as  well  as  the  safest  and  surest  guide  in 
any  world. 

While  practicing  this  method  of  observation,  it  should 
always  be  kept  in  mind  that  it  must  be  used  only  to 
gather  facts  and  not  for  purposes  of  criticism,  at  least 
not  wanton  criticism.  Constructive  criticism,  which 
points  out  defects  and  the  means  of  remedying  them,  is 
the  basis  of  progress;  but  destructive  criticism,  which 
vandalisticaly  demolishes  good  and  bad  alike  without  aim- 
ing at  any  higher  attainment,  is  an  ulcer  on  the  character 
and  must  be  eradicated.  Gossip  and  idle  tale-bearing  are 
clogs  and  hindrances.  While  it  is  not  required  that  we 
shall  say  that  black  is  white  and  overlook  manifestly  wrong 
conduct,  criticism  should  be  made  for  the  purpose  of  help- 
ing, not  to  wantonly  besmirch  the  character  of  a  fellow- 
being  because  we  have  found  a  little  stain.  Remembering 
the  parable  of  the  mote  and  the  beam,  we  should  turn  our 
most  unsparing  criticism  toward  ourselves.  None  is  so 
perfect  that  there  is  no  room  for  improvement.  The  more 
blameless  the  man,  the  less  prone  he  is  to  find  fault  and 
cast  the  first  stone  at  another.  If  we  point  out  faults 
and  suggest  ways  for  improvement,  it  must  be  done  with- 
out personal  feeling.  We  must  always  seek  the  good 
which  is  hidden  in  everything.  The  cultivation  of  this 
attitude  of  discrimination  is  particularly  important. 

When  the  aspirant  to  first-hand  knowledge  has  practiced 
concentration  and  meditation  exercises  for  some  time,  and 


494  EO8ICBUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

has  become  fairly  proficient  in  them,  there  is  a  still  higher 
step  to  be  taken. 

We  have  seen  that  concentration  is  focusing  thought 
upon  a  single  object.  It  is  the  means  whereby  we  build 
a  clear,  objective,  and  living  image  of  the  form  about 
which  we  wish  to  acquire  knowledge. 

Meditation  is  the  exercise  whereby  the  history  of  the 
object  of  our  investigation  is  traced  and,  so  to  say,  entered 
into,  to  pick  out  of  it  every  shred  of  evidence  as  to  its 
relation  to  the  world  in  general. 

These  two  mental  exercises  deal,  in  the  deepest  and  most 
thorough  manner  imaginable,  with  things.  They  lead 
up  to  a  higher,  deeper  and  more  subtle  stage  of  mental 
development,  which  deals  with  the  very  soul  of  things. 

The  name  of  that  stage  is  Contemplation. 

CONTEMPLATION. 

In  contemplation  there  is  no  reaching  out  in  thought 
or  imagination  for  the  sake  of  getting  information,  as 
was  the  case  in  Meditation.  It  is  simply  the  holding  of 
the  object  before  our  mental  vision  and  letting  the  soul 
of  it  speak  to  us.  We  repose  quietly  and  relaxed  upon 
a  couch  or  bed — not  negatively,  but  thoroughly  on  the 
alert — watching  for  the  information  that  will  surely  come 
if  we  have  reached  the  proper  development.  Then  the 
Form  of  the  object  seems  to  vanish  and  we  see  only  the 
Life  at  work.  Contemplation  will  teach  us  about  the 
Life-side,  as  Meditation  taught  us  about  the  Form-side. 

When  we  reach  this  stage  and  have  before  us,  say,  a 
tree  in  the  forest,  we  lose  sight  of  the  Form  entirely,  and 
see  only  the  Life,  which  in  this  case  is  a  group  spirit. 
We  shall  find,  to  our  astonishment,  that  the  group  spirit 
of  the  tree  includes  the  various  insects  which  feed  upon  it; 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  495 

that  the  parasite  and  its  host  are  emanations  from  one 
and  the  same  group  spirit,  for  the  higher  we  ascend  in 
the  invisible  realms,  the  fewer  the  separate  and  distinct 
forms,  and  the  more  completely  the  One  Life  predomi- 
nates, impressing  upon  the  investigator  the  supreme  fact 
that  there  is  but  the  One  Life — the  Universal  Life  of 
God,  in  Whom  it  is  an  actual  fact  that  "we  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  being."  Mineral,  plant,  animal,  and 
man — all,  without  exception — are  manifestations  of  God, 
and  this  fact  furnishes  the  true  basis  of  brotherhood — a 
brotherhood  which  includes  everything  from  the  atom  to 
the  Sun,  because  all  are  emanations  from  God.  Concep- 
tions of  brotherhood  based  upon  any  other  foundation, 
such  as  class-distinctions,  Race-affinity,  similarity  of  occu- 
pation, etc.,  fall  far  short  of  this  true  basis,  as  the  occult 
scientist  clearly  realizes  when  he  sees  the  Universal  Life 
flowing  in  all  that  exists. 

ADORATION. 

When  this  height  has  been  reached  by  Contemplation, 
and  the  aspirant  has  realized  that  he  is  in  truth  beholding 
God  in  the  Life  that  permeates  all  things,  there  remains 
still  to  be  taken  the  highest  step,  Adoration,  whereby  he 
unites  himself  with  the  Source  of  all  things,  reaching  by 
that  act  the  highest  goal  possible  of  attainment  by  man 
until  the  time  when  the  permanent  union  takes  place  at 
the  end  of  the  great  Day  of  Manifestation. 

It  is  the  writer's  opinion  that  neither  the  heights  of 
Contemplation,  nor  the  final  step  of  Adoration  can  be 
attained  without  the  aid  of  a  teacher.  The  aspirant  need 
never  fear,  however,  that  for  want  of  a  teacher  he  will 
he  delayed  in  taking  these  steps ;  nor  need  he  be  concerned 
about  looking  for  a  teacher.  All  that  is  necessary  for  him 


496  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

to  do  is  to  start  to  improve  himself,  and  to  earnestly  and 
persistently  continue  therein.  In  that  way  he  will  purify 
his  vehicles.  They  will  commence  to  shine  in  the  inner 
Worlds,  and  cannot  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
teachers,  who  are  always  watching  for  just  such  cases  and 
are  more  than  eager  and  glad  to  help  those  who,  because 
of  their  earnest  efforts  to  purify  themselves,  have  won  the 
right  to  receive  help.  Humanity  is  sorely  in  need  of 
helpers  who  are  able  to  work  from  the  inner  Worlds, 
therefore  "seek  and  ye  shall  find,"  but  let  us  not  imagine 
that  by  going  about  from  one  professed  teacher  to  an- 
other, we  are  seeking.  "Seeking,"  in  that  sense  of  the 
word,  will  avail  nothing  in  this  dark  world.  We  our- 
selves must  kindle  the  light — the  light  which  invariably 
radiates  from  the  vehicles  of  the  earnest  aspirant.  That 
is  the  star  which  will  lead  us  to  the  teacher,  or  rather  the 
teacher  to  us. 

The  time  required  to  bring  results  from  the  perform- 
ance of  the  exercises  varies  with  each  individual  and  is 
dependent  upon  his  application,  his  stage  in  evolution  and 
his  record  in  the  book  of  destiny;  therefore  no  general 
time  can  be  set.  Some,  who  are  almost  ready,  obtain  re- 
sults in  a  few  days  or  weeks;  others  have  to  work  months, 
years,  and  even  their  whole  life  without  visible  results, 
yet  the  results  will  be  there,  and  the  aspirant  who  faith- 
fully persists  will  some  day,  in  this  or  a  future  life,  be- 
hold his  patience  and  faithfulness  rewarded  and  the  inner 
Worlds  open  to  his  gaze,  finding  himself  a  citizen  of 
realms  where  the  opportunities  are  immeasurably  greater 
than  in  the  Physical  World  only. 

From  that  time — awake  or  asleep,  through  what  men 
call  life,  and  through  what  men  call  death — his  conscious- 


ACQUIRING  FIRST-HAND  KNOWLEDGE  497 

ness  will  be  unbroken.  He  will  lead  a  consciously-con- 
tinuous existence,  having  the  benefit  of  all  the  conditions 
which  make  for  more  rapid  advancement  to  ever-higher 
positions  of  trust,  to  be  used  in  the  uplifting  of  the  race. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH:   AND  VOLCANIC 
ERUPTIONS. 

EVEN"  among  occult  scientists  it  is  counted  among 
the  most  difficult  problems  to  investigate  the  mys- 
terious construction  of  the  Earth.  Every  occult 
scientist  knows  how  much  easier  it  is  to  thoroughly  and 
accurately  investigate  the  Desire  World  and  the  Region 
of  Concrete  Thought  and  bring  back  the  results  into  the 
Physical  World  than  to  investigate  completely  the  secrets 
of  our  physical  planet,  because  to  do  that  fully,  one  must 
have  passed  through  the  nine  lesser  Mysteries  and  the  first 
of  the  Great  Initiations. 

Modern  scientists  know  very  little  about  this  matter. 
So  far  as  seismic  phenomena  are  concerned,  they  very 
frequently  change  their  theories,  because  they  are  constant- 
ly discovering  reasons  why  their  previous  hypotheses  were 
untenable.  They  have,  with  all  their  usual  splendid  care, 
investigated  the  very  outside  shell,  but  only  to  an  insignifi- 
cant depth.  As  for  volcanic  eruptions,  they  try  to  under- 
stand them  as  they  try  to  understand  everything  else,  in 
a  purely  mechanical  way,  depicting  the  center  of  the  Earth 
as  a  fiery  furnace  and  concluding  that  the  eruptions  are 
caused  by  the  accidental  admission  of  water  and  in  other 
similar  ways. 

In  a  certain  sense,  their  theories  have  some  foundation, 
but  in  this  case  they  are,  as  always,  neglecting  the  spiritual 

498 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  499 

causes  which  to  the  occultist  appear  to  be  the  true  ones. 
To  him,  the  world  is  far  from  being  "dead."  On  the 
contrary,  its  every  nook  and  crevice  is  permeated  by  spirit, 
which  is  the  leaven  that  causes  changes  in  and  upon  the 
planet. 

The  different  kinds  of  quartz,  the  metals,  the  disposition 
of  the  various  strata — all  have  a  much  higher  significance 
than  the  materialistic  investigator  has  ever  been  able  to 
grasp.  To  the  occult  scientist,  the  way  in  which  these 
materials  are  arranged  is  full  of  meaning.  On  this  sub- 
ject, as  on  every  other,  occult  science  stands  in  the  same 
relation  to  modern  science  as  physiology  does  to  anatomy. 
Anatomy  states  with  minute  detail  the  exact  position  of 
every  bone,  muscle,  ligament,  nerve,  etc.,  their  relative 
positions  to  one  another  and  so  forth,  but  does  not  give 
any  clue  to  the  use  of  any  one  of  the  different  parts  of 
which  the  body  is  composed.  Physiology,  on  the  other 
hand,  not  only  states  the  position  and  structure  of  every 
part  of  the  body,  but  also  tells  their  use  in  the  body. 

To  know  the  different  strata  of  the  Earth  and  the  rela- 
tive positions  of  the  planets  in  the  sky  without  having 
also  a  knowledge  of  their  use  and  meaning  in  the  life  and 
purpose  of  the  Cosmos,  is  as  useless  as  to  know  merely 
the  positions  of  bones,  nerves,  etc.,  without  understanding 
also  their  use  in  the  functional  economy  of  the  body. 

THE  NUMBER  OF  THE  BEAST. 

To  the  trained  clairvoyant  sight,  of  the  Initiate  of  the 
various  degrees  of  the  Mysteries,  the  Earth  appears  built 
in  strata,  something  like  an  onion,  one  layer  or  stratum 
outside  another.  There  are  nine  such  strata  and  the  cen- 
tral core,  making  ten  in  all.  These  strata  are  revealed 
to  the  Initiate  gradually.  One  stratum  becomes  accessi- 


500  EOSICRUCIAN   COSMO-CONCEPTION 

ble  to  him  at  each  Initiation,  so  that  at  the  end  of  the 
nine  lesser  Initiations  he  is  master  of  all  the  layers,  but 
has  not  yet  access  to  the  secrets  of  the  core. 

In  ancient  parlance  these  nine  steps  are  called  the 
"lesser  Mysteries."  They  take  the  neophyte  consciously 
through  all  that  relates  to  his  past  evolution,  through  the 
activities  of  involuntary  existence,  so  that  he  is  able  to 
understand  the  manner  and  meaning  of  the  work  he  then 
performed  unconsciously.  He  is  shown  how  the  present 
ninefold  constitution  (the  threefold  body,  the  threefold 
soul,  and  the  threefold  spirit)  was  brought  into  existence; 
how  the  great  creative  Hierarchies  worked  on  the  virgin 
spirit,  awakening  in  it  the  Ego,  helping  it  to  form  the 
body;  and  also  the  work  he  himself  has  done,  to  extract 
from  the  threefold  body  as  much  of  the  threefold  soul 
as  he  now  possesses.  One  step  at  a  time  is  he  led  through 
the  nine  steps  of  the  lesser  mysteries,  the  nine  strata. 

This  number  nine  is  the  root-number  of  our  present 
stage  of  evolution.  It  bears  a  significance  in  our  system 
that  no  other  number  does.  It  is  the  number  of  Adam, 
the  life  which  commenced  its  evolution  as  Man,  which 
reached  the  human  stage  during  the  Earth  Period.  In 
the  Hebrew,  as  in  the  Greek,  there  are  no  numerals,  but 
each  letter  has  a  numerical  value.  In  Hebrew  "Adam" 
is  called  "ADM."  The  value  of  "A"  is  1;  of  "D,"  4; 
and  of  "M,"  40.  If  we  add  these  figures,  we  get 
144+4+0=9 — the  number  of  Adam,  or  humanity. 

If  we  turn  from  the  Book  of  Genesis,  which  deals  with 
the  creation  of  man  in  the  hoary  past,  to  the  Book  of 
Eevelation,  which  deals  with  his  future  attainment,  we 
find  that  the  number  of  the  beast  which  hinders  is  666. 
Adding  these  figures,  6+6+6=18;  and  further,  1+8=9 
— we  have  again  the  number  of  humanity,  which  is  itself 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  59! 

the  cause  of  all  the  evil  which  hinders  its  own  progress. 
Going  further,  to  the  point  where  the  number  of  those 
who  are  to  be  saved  is  stated,  we  find  it  to  be  144,000. 
Adding  as  before,  1+444+000=9 — again  the  number  of 
humanity,  showing  that  practically  it  will  be  saved  in 
its  totality,  the  number  incapable  of  progress  in  our 
present  evolution  being  negligible  in  comparison  to  the 
grand  total,  and  even  the  few  who  fail  are  not  lost,  but 
will  progress  in  a  later  scheme. 

The  consciousness  of  the  mineral  and  the  plant  is  really 
unconsciousness.  The  first  glimmering  dawn  of  con- 
sciousness begins  with  the  animal  kingdom.  We  have 
seen  also  that  according  to  the  most  modern  classification, 
there  are  thirteen  steps  in  the  animal  kingdom :  three 
classes  of  Radiates;  three  classes  of  Mollusks;  three  classes 
of  Articulates;  and  four  classes  of  Vertebrates. 

If  we  regard  ordinary  man  as  a  step  by  himself,  and 
remember  that  there  are  thirteen  Initiations  from  man 
to  God,  or  from  the  time  he  commenced  to  qualify  him- 
self for  becoming  a  self-conscious  Creative  Intelligence, 
we  have  again  the  same  number,  Nine — 13+1+13=27; 
2+7=9. 

The  number  9  is  also  hidden  in  the  age  of  Christ 
Jesus,  33;  3x3=9,  and  in  a  similar  manner  in  the  33 
degrees  of  Masonry.  In  olden  times  Masonry  was  a 
system  of  Initiation  into  the  lesser  Mysteries  which,  as 
we  have  seen,  have  9  degrees,  but  the  Initiates  often  wrote 
it  as  33.  Similarly  we  read  of  the  18th  degree  of  the 
Rosicrucians,  which  was  only  a  "blind"  for  the  uniniti- 
ated, because  there  are  never  more  than  9  degrees  in  any 
lesser  Mystery,  and  the  Masons  of  today  have  but  very 
little  of  the  occult  ritual  left  in  their  degrees'. 

We  have   also   the   nine   months   of  gestation,   during 


502  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

which  the  body  is  built  up  to  its  present  efficiency;  and 
there  are  in  the  body  nine  perforations — two  eyes,  two 
nostrils,  two  ears,  one  mouth,  and  the  two  lower  orifices. 

When  the  advancing  man  has  passed  through  the  nine 
lesser  Initiations,  gaining  thereby  entrance  to  all  the 
layers  of  the  Earth,  entrance  into  the  core  is  yet  to  be 
won.  That  is  opened  to  him  by  the  first  of  the  four  Great 
Initiations,  in  which  he  learns  to  know  the  mystery  of 
the  mind,  that  part  of  his  being  begun  on  Earth.  When 
he  is  ready  for  the  first  Great  Initiation  he  has  developed 
his  mind  to  the  degree  all  men  are  destined  to  attain  to 
at  the  end  of  the  Earth  Period.  In  that  Initiation  he  is 
given  the  key  to  the  next  stage,  and  all  work  done  by  him 
after  that  will  be  such  as  humanity  in  general  will  do  in 
the  Jupiter  Period,  and  does  not  concern  us  at  present. 

After  his  first  Great  Initiation,  he  is  an  Adept.  The 
second,  third  and  fourth  Initiations  pertain  to  the  stages 
of  development  to  be  arrived  at  by  ordinary  humanity 
in  the  Jupiter,  Venus,  and  Vulcan  Periods. 

These  thirteen  Initiations  are  symbolically  represented 
in  the  Christ  and  His  twelve  Apostles.  Judas  Iscariot  is 
the  traitorous  propensities  of  the  lower  nature  of  the 
neophyte.  The  beloved  John  is  the  Venus  Initiation,  and 
Christ  Himself  symbolizes  the  Divine  Initiate  of  the 
Vulcan  Period. 

In  different  schools  of  occult  science  the  rites  of  Ini- 
tiation vary,  also  their  statement  of  the  number  of  Initia- 
tions, but  that  is  merely  a  matter  of  classification.  It  will 
be  observed  that  such  vague  descriptions  as  can  be  given 
become  more  vague  as  one  proceeds  higher  and  higher. 
Where  seven  or  more  degrees  are  spoken  of,  almost  nothing 
is  paid  of  the  sixth  Initiation,  and  nothing  whatever  of 
the  ones  beyond.  That  is  because  of  another  division — 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  593 

the  six  steps  of  "Preparation,"  and  the  four  Initiations 
which  bring  the  candidate  to  the  end  of  the  Earth  Period, 
to  Adeptship.  Then  there  must  always  be  three  more, 
if  the  philosophy  of  the  school  or  society  goes  so  far.  The 
writer,  however,  knows  of  none  but  the  Kosicrucians  who 
have  anything  to  say  of  the  three  Periods  which  preceded 
the  Earth  Period,  save  the  bare  statement  that  there  were 
such  Periods.  They  are  not  brought  very  definitely  into 
relationship  with  our  present  phase  of  existence,  how- 
ever. Likewise,  other  occult  teachings  simply  state  that 
there  will  be  three  more  schemes  of  evolution,  but  no 
particulars  are  given.  Of  course,  under  those  circum- 
stances, the  three  last  Initiations  are  not  mentioned. 

Diagram  18  will  give  an  idea  of  the  arrangement  of  the 
Earth's  strata,  the  central  core  being  omitted  to  indicate 
more  clearly  the  lemniscate  formation  of  the  currents  in 
the  ninth  stratum.  In  the  diagram  the  strata  are  repre- 
sented as  being  of  equal  thickness,  though  in  reality  some 
are  much  thinner  than  others.  Beginning  at  the  outside, 
they  appear  jn  the  following  order: 

(1)  The  Mineral  Earth:  This  is  the  stony  crust  of 
the  Earth,  with  which  Geology  deals  as  far.  as  it  is  able 
to  penetrate. 

(2)  The  Fluid  Stratum:  The  matter  of  this  stratum 
is  more  fluid  than  that  of  the  outside  crust,  yet  it  is  not 
watery,  but  rather  more  like  a  thick  paste.     It  has  the 
quality  of  expansion,  like  that  of  an  exceedingly  explosive 
gas,  and  is  kept  in  place  only  by  the  enormous  pressure 
of  the  outer  crust.    Were  that  removed,  the  whole  of  the 
fluid  stratum  would  disappear  in  space  with  a  tremendous 
explosion.    These  correspond  to  the  Chemical  and  Etheric 
Regions  of  the  Physical  World. 

(3)  Vapor  Stratum:  In  the  first  and  second  strata 


504  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

there  is  really  no  conscious  life.  But  in  this  stratum 
there  is  an  ever-flowing  and  pulsating  life,  as  in  the 
Desire  World  surrounding  and  inter-penetrating  our 
Earth. 

(4)  Water  Stratum :  In  this  stratum  are  the  germinal 
possibilities  of  all  that  exists  upon  the   surface  of  the 
Earth.     Here  are  the  archetypal  forces  which  are  back 
of  the  group  spirits;  also  the  archetypal  forces  of  the 
minerals,  for  this  is  the  direct  physical  expression  of  the 
Eegion  of  Concrete  Thought. 

(5)  Seed    Stratum:    Material    scientists    have    been 
baffled  in  their  efforts  to  discover  the  origin  of  life,  how 
the  first  living  things  came  forth  from  previously  dead 
matter. 

In  reality,  according  to  the  occult  explanation  of  evo- 
lution, the  question  should  be  how  the  "dead"  things 
originated.  The  Life  was  there  previous  to  the  dead 
Forms.  It  built  its  bodies  from  the  attenuated,  vaporous 
substance  long  before  it  condensed  into  the  Earth's  solid 
crust.  Only  when  the  life  had  left  the  forms  could  they 
crystallize  and  become  hard  and  dead. 

Coal  is  but  crystallized  plant  bodies;  coral  is  also  the 
crystallization  of  animal  forms.  The  life  leaves  the  forms 
and  the  forms  die.  Life  never  came  into  a  form  to  awaken 
it  to  life.  Life  departed  from  the  forms  and  the  forms 
died.  Thus  did  "dead"  things  come  to  be. 

In  this  fifth  stratum  is  the  primordial  fount  of  life 
from  which  came  the  impetus  that  built  all  the  forms  on 
Earth.  It  corresponds  to  the  Eegion  of  Abstract  Thought. 

(6)  Fiery    Stratum:    Strange   as   it   may   seem,   this 
stratum   is   possessed   of  sensation.     Pleasure   and   pain, 
sympathy   and   antipathy  have  here  their   effect  on   the 
Earth.     It  is  generally  supposed  that  under  no  possible 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  595 

circumstances  can  the  Earth  have  any  sensation  whatever. 
The  occult  scientist,  however,  as  he  watches  the  harvesting 
of  the  ripe  grain  and  the  gathering  of  fruit  from  the  trees 
in  the  autumn,  or  the  plucking  of  flowers,  knows  the 
pleasure  experienced  by  the  Earth  itself.  It  is  similar  to 
the  pleasure  felt  by  the  cow  when  its  bursting  udders  are 
being  relieved  by  the  sucking  calf.  The  Earth  feels  the 
delight  of  having  yielded  nourishment  for  its  progeny 
of  Forms,  this  delight  reaching  its  culmination  in  the 
harvest  time. 

On  the  other  hand,  when  plants  are  torn  out  by  the 
roots,  it  is  patent  to  the  occult  scientist  that  the  Earth 
senses  a  sting  of  pain.  For  that  reason  he  does  not  eat 
the  plant-foods  which  grow  under  the  Earth.  In  the  first 
place  they  are  full  of  the  Earth-force  and  deficient  in 
Sun-force,  and  are  additionally  poisoned  by  being  pulled 
up  by  the  roots.  The  only  exception  to  this  rule  is  that 
he  may  partake  sparingly  of  the  potato,  which  originally 
grew  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  has  only  in  com- 
paratively recent  times  grown  beneath  the  soil.  Occultists 
endeavor  to  nourish  their  bodies  on  fruits  which  grow 
toward  the  Sun,  because  they  contain  more  of  the  higher 
Sun-force,  and  have  not  caused  the  Earth  pain. 

It  might  be  supposed  that  mining  operations  would 
be  very  painful  to  the  Earth,  but  the  reverse  is  the  case. 
Every  disintegration  of  the  hard  crust  causes  a  sensation 
of  relief  and  every  solidification  is  a  source  of  pain. 
Where  a  mountain  torrent  washes  away  the  soil  and  carries 
it  toward  the  plains,  the  earth  feels  freer.  Where  the 
disintegrated  matter  is  again  deposited,  as  in  a  bar  out- 
side the  mouth  of  a  great  river,  there  is  a  corresponding 
sense  of  uneasiness. 

As  sensation  in  animals  and  men  is  due  to  their  sepa- 


506  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

rate  vital  bodies,  so  the  feeling  of  the  Earth  is  particularly 
active  in  this  sixth  stratum,  which  corresponds  to  the 
World  of  Life  Spirit.  To  understand  the  pleasure  felt 
when  mining  operations  are  disintegrating  the  hard  rock, 
and  the  pain  when  deposits  gather,  we  must  remember 
that  the  Earth  is  the  dense  body  of  a  Great  Spirit,  and 
to  furnish  us  with  an  environment  in  which  we  could 
live  and  gather  experience,  it  had  to  crystallize  this  body 
into  its  present  solid  condition. 

As  evolution  proceeds,  however,  and  man  learns  the  les- 
sons pertaining  to  this  acme  of  concretion,  then  Earth 
will  become  softer  and  its  spirit  more  and  more  liberated. 
This  is  what  Paul  meant  when  he  spoke  of  the  whole 
creation  groaning  and  travailing,  waiting  for  the  day  of 
liberation. 

(7)  Befracting  Stratum:  This  part  of  the  Earth 
corresponds  to  the  World  of  Divine  Spirit.  There  are,  * 
in  occult  science  what  are  known  as  "The  Seven  Un- 
speakable Secrets."  For  those  who  are  not  acquainted 
with  these  secrets,  or  have  not  at  least  an  inkling  of  their 
import,  the  properties  of  this  stratum  must  seem  particu- 
larly absurd  and  grotesque.  In  it  all  the  forces  which 
are  known  to  us  as  the  "Laws  of  Nature"  exist  as  moral, 
or  rather  immoral  forces.  In  the  beginning  of  the  con- 
scious career  of  man  they  were  much  worse  than  at 
present.  But  it  appears  that  as  humanity  progresses  in 
morals,  these  forces  improve  correspondingly;  also  that 
any  lapse  in  morals  has  a  tendency  to  unleash  these 
Nature-forces  and  causes  them  to  create  havoc  upon  the 
Earth;  while  the  striving  for  higher  ideals  makes  them 
less  inimical  to  man. 

The  forces  in  this  stratum  are  thus,  at  any  time,  an 
exact  reflection  of  the  existing  moral  status  of  mankind. 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EAETH  507 

From  the  occult  point  of  view,  the  "hand  of  God"  which 
smites  a  Sodom  or  a  Gomorrah  is  not  a  foolish  super- 
stition, for  as  surely  as  there  is  individual  responsibility  to 
the  law  of  Consequence  which  brings  to  each  person  the 
just  results  of  his  deeds  whether  for  good  or  evil,  so  is 
there  also  community  and  national  responsibility,  which 
brings  upon  groups  of  men  corresponding  results  for  their 
collective  acts.  Nature-forces  are  the  general  agents  of 
such  retributive  justice,  causing  floods,  or  earthquakes, 
or  the  beneficent  formation  of  oil  or  coal  for  various 
groups,  according  to  their  deserts. 

(8)  Atomistic  Stratum :  This  is  the  name  given  by  the 
Rosicrucians  to  the  eighth  layer  of  the  Earth,  which  is 
the  expression  of  the  World  of  Virgin  Spirits.     It  seems 
to  have  the  property  of  multiplying  many  fold  the  things 
in  it;  this  applies,  however,  only  to  those  things  which 
have  been  definitely  formed.    An  unshapen  piece  of  wood, 
or  an  unhewn  stone  has  no  existence  there,  but  upon  any- 
thing which  has  been  shaped,  or  has  life  and  form  (such 
as  a  flower  or  a  picture),  this  stratum  has  the  effect  of 
multiplication  to  an  astonishing  degree. 

(9)  Material  Expression  of  the  Earth-spirit:      There 
are  here  lemniscate  currents,  which  are  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  brain,  heart,  and  sex-organs  of  the  human 
race.    It  corresponds  to  the  World  of  God. 

(10)  Center  of  Being  of  the  Earth-spirit:    Nothing 
more  can  be  said  about  this  at  present  except  that  it  is  the 
ultimate  seed-ground  of  all  that  is  in  and  on  Earth,  and 
corresponds  to  the  Absolute. 

From  the  sixth  or  fiery  stratum  to  the  surface  of  the 
Earth  are  a  number  of  shafts  in  different  places.  The 
outer  ends  of  these  are  called  "volcanic  craters."  When 
the  Nature-forces  in  the  seventh  stratum  are  unleashed  so 


508  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

that  they  can  express  themselves  through  a  volcanic  out- 
burst, they  set  the  (sixth)  fiery  stratum  in  motion  and  the 
agitation  spreads  outward  to  the  mouth  of  the  crater.  The 
bulk  of  the  material  is  taken  from  the  substance  of  the 
second  stratum,  for  that  is  the  denser  counterpart  of  the 
sixth  stratum  as  the  vital  body,  the  second-vehicle  of  man, 
is  the  denser  counterpart  of  the  life  Spirit,  the  sixth  prin- 
ciple. This  fluidic  stratum,  with  its  expansive  and  highly 
explosive  quality,  insuring  an  unlimited  supply  of  material 
at  the  point  of  eruption.  The  contact  with  the  outer 
atmosphere  hardens  that  part  of  it  which  is  not  blown 
away  into  space,  thus  forming  the  lava  and  dust,  until,  as 
the  blood  from  a  wound  congeals  and  stanches  the  flow, 
so  the  lava  finally  seals  the  aperture  from  the  inner  parts 
of  the  Earth. 

As  might  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the  re- 
flected immorality  and  anti-spiritual  tendencies  of  man- 
kind which  arouse  the  Nature-forces  in  the  seventh 
stratum  to  destructive  activity,  it  is  generally  profligate 
and  degenerate  peoples  who  succumb  to  these  catastrophes. 
They,  together  with  others  whose  destiny,  self-generated 
under  the  law  of  Consequence,  for  various  reasons,  involves 
a  violent  death,  are  gathered  from  many  lands  by  the 
superhuman  forces,  to  the  point  where  the  eruption  is  to 
occur.  To  the  thoughtful,  the  volcanic  outbursts  of  Ve- 
suvius, for  instance,  will  afford  corroboration  of  this  state- 
ment. 

A  list  of  these  outbursts  during  the  last  2,000  years 
shows  that  their  frequency  has  been  increasing  with  the 
growth  of  materialism.  In  the  last  sixty  years,  especially, 
in  the  ratio  that  materialistic  science  has  grown  arrogant 
in  its  absolute  and  sweeping  denial  of  everything  spiritual, 
have  the  eruptions  increased  in  frequency.  While  there 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH 


510  ROSICEUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

were  but  six  eruptions  in  the  first  1,000  years  after  Christ, 
the  last  five  have  taken  place  within  51  years,  as  will  be 
shown. 

The  first  eruption  during  the  Christian  Era  was  that 
which  destroyed  the  cities  of  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii, 
in  which  the  elder  Pliny  perished,  A.  D.  79.  The  other 
eruptions  followed  in  A.  D.  203,  472,  512,  652,  982,  1036, 
1158,  1500,  1631,  1737,  1794,  1822,  1855,  1872,  1885, 
1891,  1906. 

In  the  first  thousand  years,  there  were  six  eruptions;  in 
the  second  thousand  there  have  been  twelve,  the  last  five 
occurring  in  a  period  of  51  years,  as  before  stated. 

Of  the  entire  number  of  18  eruptions,  the  first  nine  oc- 
curred in  the  so-called  "dark  ages,"  that  is  to  say,  the  1600 
years  during  which  the  Western  World  was  dominated  by 
what  are  commonly  termed  the  "heathen,"  or  by  the 
Eoman  Church.  The  remainder  have  taken  place  in  the 
last  three  hundred  years,  during  which  the  advent  and  rise 
of  Modern  Science,  with  its  materializing  tendencies,  has 
driven  almost  the  last  vestige  of  spirituality  to  the  wall, 
particularly  in  the  last  half  of  the  19th  Century.  There- 
fore the  eruptions  for  that  period  comprise  nearly  one- 
third  of  the  total  number  that  have  taken  place  in  our  Era. 

To  counteract  this  demoralizing  influence,  a  great  deal 
of  occult  information  has  been  given  out  during  that  time 
by  the  Elder  Brothers  of  Wisdom,  who  are  ever  working 
for  the  benefit  of  humanity.  It  is  thought  that  by  giving 
out  this  knowledge  and  educating  the  few  who  will  still 
receive  it,  it  may  be  possible  to  stem  the  tide  of  material- 
ism, which  otherwise  may  bring  about  very  serious  conse- 
quences to  its  advocates  who,  having  so  long  denied  the 
existence  of  the  spiritual,  may  be  unable  to  find  their  bal- 
ance when  they  discover  that,  though  still  living,  they  have 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  5U 

been  deprived  of  the  dense  body.  Such  persons  may  meet 
a  fate  too  sad  to  contemplate  with  equanimity.  One  of  the 
causes  of  the  dread  "white  plague"  is  this  materialism, 
not  traceable  to  the  present  incarnation  perhaps,  but  the 
result  of  previous  materialistic  beliefs  and  affirmations. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  demise  of  the  elder  Pliny,  at  the 
time  of  the  destruction  of  Pompeii.  It  is  interesting  to 
follow  the  fate  of  such  a  scientist,  not  so  much  for  the 
sake  of  that  particular  individual  as  for  the  light  it  throws 
upon  the  manner  in  which  the  memory  of  Nature  is  read 
by  the  occult  scientist,  how  the  impressions  are  made  upon 
it,  and  the  effect  of  past  traits  upon  present  tendencies. 

When  a  man  dies,  his  dense  body  disintegrates,  but  the 
sum  total  of  its  forces  can  be  found  in  the  seventh  or  re- 
flecting stratum  of  the  Earth,  which  may  be  said  to  con- 
stitute a  reservoir  in  which,  as  forces,  past  forms  are  stored. 
If,  knowing  the  time  of  the  death  of  a  man,  we  search 
this  reservoir,  it  is  possible  to  find  his  form  there.  Not 
only  is  it  stored  in  the  seventh  stratum,  but  the  eighth  or 
atomistic  stratum  multiplies  it,  so  that  any  one  type  may 
be  reproduced  and  modified  by  others.  Thus  it  is  used 
over  and  over  again  in  the  formation  of  other  bodies.  The 
brain-tendencies  of  such  a  man  as  Pliny  the  elder  may 
have  been  reproduced  a  thousand  years  afterwards,  and 
have  been  partly  the  cause  of  the  present  crop  of  mate- 
rialistic scientists. 

There  is  still  much  for  modern,  material  scientists  to 
learn  and  to  unlearn.  Though  they  fight  to  the  last  ditch 
what  they  sneeringly  term  the  "illusionary  ideas"  of  the 
occult  scientist,  they  are  being  compelled  to  acknowledge 
their  truth  and  accept  them  one  by  one,  and  it  is  only  a 
matter  of  time  when  they  will  have  been  compelled  to  ac- 
cept them  all. 


512  BOSICRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

Mesmer,  who  was  sent  by  the  Elder  Brothers,  was  worse 
than  ridiculed,  but  when  materialists  had  changed  the 
name  of  the  force  discovered  by  him,  calling  it  "hypno- 
tism" instead  of  "mesmerism,"  it  at  once  became  "scien- 
tific." 

Twenty  years  ago  Madame  Blavatsky,  a  faithful  pupil 
of  Eastern  Masters,  said  that  the  Earth  had  a  third  move- 
ment, in  addition  to  the  two  producing  day  and  night  and 
the  seasons.  She  pointed  out  that  the  inclination  of  the 
Earth's  axis  is  caused  by  a  movement  which,  in  due  time, 
brings  the  north  pole  to  where  the  equator  is  now  and  still 
later,  to  the  place  now  occupied  by  the  south  pole.  This, 
she  said,  was  known  to  the  ancient  Egyptians,  the  famous 
planisphere  at  Dendera  showing  that  they  had  records  of 
three  such  revolutions.  These  statements,  in  common  with 
the  whole  of  her  unexcelled  work,  "The  Secret  Doctrine," 
were  hooted  at. 

A  few  years  ago,  an  astronomer,  Mr.  G.  E.  Sutcliffe,  of 
Bombay,  discovered  and  mathematically  demonstrated  that 
Laplace  had  made  a  mistake  in  his  calculations.  The  dis- 
covery and  rectification  of  this  error  confirmed  by  mathe- 
matical demonstration  the  existence  of  the  third  motion  of 
the  Earth,  as  claimed  by  Madame  Blavatsky.  It  also  af- 
forded an  explanation  of  the  theretofore  puzzling  fact  that 
tropical  plants  and  fossils  are  found  in  the  polar  regions, 
as  such  a  movement  would  necessarily  produce,  in  due 
time,  tropical  and  glacial  periods  on  all  parts  of  the  Earth, 
corresponding  to  its  changed  position  in  relation  to  the 
Sun.  Mr.  Sutcliffe  sent  his  letter  and  demonstrations  to 
Nature,  but  that  journal  refused  to  publish  them,  and 
when  the  author  made  public  the  discovery  by  means  of  a 
pamphlet,  he  drew  upon  himself  an  appalling  storm  of 
vituperation.  However,  he  is  an  avowed  and  a  deep  stu- 


CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EARTH  513 

dent  of  "The  Secret  Doctrine/'  and  that  explains  the  hos- 
tile reception  accorded  his  discovery  and  its  inevitable 
corollaries. 

Later,  however,  a  Frenchman,  not  an  astronomer,  but  a 
mechanician,  constructed  an  apparatus  demonstrating  the 
ample  possibility  of  the  existence  of  such  a  movement.  The 
apparatus  was  exhibited  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Ex- 
hibition at  Saint  Louis,  and  was  warmly  endorsed  by  M. 
Camille  Flammarion,  as  worthy  of  investigation.  Here 
was  something  concrete,  something  "mechanical,"  and  the 
editor  of  The  Monist,  though  he  described  the  inventor  as 
a  man  laboring  somewhat  under  "mystic  illusions"  (be- 
cause of  his  belief  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  knew  of  this 
third  motion),  nevertheless  magnanimously  overlooked  that 
feature  of  the  case  and  said  that  he  had  not  lost  faith  in 
M.  Beziau's  theory  on  that  account.  He  published  an  ex- 
planation and  an  essay  by  M.  Beziau,  wherein  the  motion 
and  its  effects  upon  the  surface  of  the  Earth  were  described 
in  terms  similar  to  those  used  by  Madame  Blavatsky  and 
Mr.  Sutcliffe.  M.  Beziau  is  not  definitely  "billed"  as  an 
occultist,  therefore  his  discovery  may  be  countenanced. 

Many  instances  might  be  cited  showing  how  occult  in- 
formation has  been  corroborated  later  by  material  science. 
One  of  them  is  the  atomistic  theory,  which  is  advocated  in 
the  Greek  philosophies  and  later  in  "The  Secret  Doc- 
trine." It  was  "discovered"  in  1897,  by  Professor  Thom- 
son. 

In  Mr.  A.  P.  Sinnett's  valuable  work,  "The  Growth  of 
the  Soul,"  published  in  1896,  the  author  stated  that  there 
are  two  planets  beyond  the  orbit  of  Neptune,  only  one  of 
which,  he  thought,  would  be  discovered  by  modern  astron- 
omers. In  Nature  for  August,  1906,  the  statement  is  made 
that  Professor  Barnard,  through  the  36-inch  Lick  refrac- 


514  SOStCRUCIAN  COSMO-CONCEPTION 

tor,  had  discovered  such  a  planet  in  1892.  There  had  been 
no  mistake  about  it,  yet  he  waited  fourteen  years  before  he 
announced  his  discovery!  One  need  not  be  concerned 
about  that,  however.  The  main  point  is  that  the  planet  is 
there,  and  that  Mr.  Sinnett's  book  said  so  ten  years  before 
Professor  Barnard's  claim  to  prior  discovery.  Probably, 
previous  to  1906  the  announcement  of  the  newly  discovered 
planet  might  have  tended  to  disarrange  some  popularly 
accepted  theory! 

There  are  many  such  theories.  The  Copernican  theory 
is  not  altogether  correct,  and  there  are  many  facts  that 
cannot  be  accounted  for  by  the  lauded  Nebular  theory 
alone.  Tycho  Brahe,  the  famous  Danish  astronomer,  re- 
fused to  accept  the  Copernican  theory.  He  had  a  very  good 
reason  for  remaining  true  to  the  Ptolemaic  theory  because, 
as  he  said,  by  it  the  movements  of  the  planets  figured  out 
correctly,  while  with  the  Copernican  theory,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  use  a  table  of  corrections.  The  Ptolemaic  system 
is  correct  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Desire  World,  and  it 
has  points  that  are  needed  in  the  Physical  World. 

By  many  the  statements  made  in  the  foregoing  pages 
will  be  considered  fantastic.  Be  it  so.  Time  will  bring  to 
all  a  knowledge  of  the  facts  herein  set  forth.  This  book 
is  only  for  the  few  who,  having  freed  their  minds  from  the 
shackles  of  orthodox  science  and  religion,  are  ready  to 
accept  this  until  they  have  proven  it  wrong. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

CHRISTIAN  ROSENKREUZ  AND  THE  ORDER  OF  ROSICRUCIANS. 
Ancient  Truths  in  Modern  Dress. 

Having  encountered  among  the  public  a  widespread 
desire  to  learn  something  of  the  Order  of  Rosicrucians, 
and  as  there  is  a  lack  of  understanding  of  the  important 
place  occupied  by  the  Brothers  of  the  Rose  Cross  in  our 
Western  civilization,  even  among  our  students,  it  may  be 
well  to  furnish  authentic  information  upon  the  subject. 

Everything  in  the  world  is  subject  to  law,  even  our 
evolution  is  thus  encompassed;  spiritual  and  physical  pro- 
gression goes  hand  in  hand.  The  sun  is  the  physical  light- 
bringer  and,  as  we  know,  it  apparently  travels  from  east 
to  west  bringing  light  and  life  to  one  part  of  the  earth 
after  another.  But  the  visible  sun  is  only  a  part  of  the 
sun  as  the  visible  body  is  a  small  part  of  composite  man. 
There  is  an  invisible  and  spiritual  sun  whose  rays  promote 
soul-growth  upon  one  part  of  the  earth  after  another  as  the 
physical  sun  promotes  the  growth  of  form,  and  this  spirit- 
ual impulse  also  travels  in  the  same  direction  as  the  phys- 
ical sun ;  from  east  to  west. 

Six  or  seven  hundred  years  B.  C.,  a  new  ware  of  spirit- 
uality was  started  near  the  eastern  shores  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean  to  give  enlightenment  to  the  Chinese  nation  and 
the  religioin  of  Confucius  is  embraced  to  this  day  by 
many  millions  in  the  celestial  kingdom.  Later  we  note  the 
effect  of  this  wave  in  the  religion  of  Buddha,  a  teaching 

515 


516  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

designed  to  stir  the  aspirations  of  millions  of  Hindus  and 
western  Chinese.  In  its  westward  course  it  appears  among 
the  more  intellectual  Greeks  in  the  lofty  philosophies  of 
Pythagoras  and  Plato,  and  at  last  it  sweeps  over  the  west- 
ern world,  among  the  pioneers  of  the  human  race,  where 
it  takes  the  lofty  form  of  the  Christian  religion. 

The  Christian  religion  has  gradually  worked  its  way  to 
the  westward,  even  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  and 
thither  the  spiritual  aspirations  are  being  massed  and 
concentrated.  There  they  will  reach  a  point  of  culmina- 
tion, prior  to  taking  a  new  leap  across  the  ocean  and  in- 
augurating a  higher  and  more  lofty  spiritual  awakening  in 
the  Orient  than  now  exists  in  that  part  of  the  earth. 

Just  as  day  and  night,  summer  and  winter,  ebb  and 
flood,  follow  each  other  in  unbroken  sequence  according 
to  the  law  of  alternating  cycles,  so  also  the  appearance  of  a 
wave  of  spiritual  awakening  in  any  part  of  the  world  is 
followed  by  a  period  of  material  reaction,  so  that  our  de- 
velopment may  not  become  onesided. 

Eeligion,  Art  and  Science  are  the  three  most  important 
means  of  human  education,  and  they  are  a  trinity  in  unity 
which  cannot  be  separated  without  distorting  our  view- 
point of  whatever  we  may  investigate.  True  Religion  em- 
bodies both  science  and  art,  for  it  teaches  a  beautiful  life 
in  harmony  with  the  laws  of  nature. 

True  Science  is  artistic  and  religious  in  the  highest  sense, 
for  it  teaches  us  to  reverence  and  conform  to  laws  govern- 
ing our  well-being  and  explains  why  the  religious  life  is 
conducive  to  health  and  beauty. 

True  Art  is  as  educational  as  science  and  as  uplifting 
in  its  influence  as  religion.  In  architecture  we  have  a  most 
sublime  presentation  of  cosmic  lines  of  force  in  the  uni- 
verse. It  fills  the  spiritual  beholder  with  a  powerful  devo- 


THE  OEDER  OF  ROSICRUCIANS  517 

tion  and  adoration  born  of  an  awe-inspiring  conception 
of  the  overwhelming  grandeur  and  majesty  of  Deity. 
Sculpture  and  painting,  music  and  literature  inspire  us 
with  a  sense  of  transcendent  loveliness  of  God,  the  im- 
mutable source  and  goal  of  all  this  beautiful  world. 

Nothing  short  of  such  an  all-embracing  teaching  will 
answer  the  needs  of  humanity  permanently.  There  was  a 
time,  even  as  late  as  Greece,  when  Religion,  Art  and  Science 
were  taught  unitedly  in  Mystery-temples.  But  it  was  neces- 
sary to  the  better  development  of  each  that  they  should 
separate  for  a  time. 

Religion  held  sole  sway  in  the  so-called  "dark  ages." 
During  that  time  it  bound  both  Science  and  Art  hand  and 
foot.  Then  came  the  period  of  Renaissance  and  Art  came 
to  the  fore  in  all  its  branches.  Religion  was  strong  as  yet, 
however,  and  Art  was  only  too  often  prostituted  in  the 
service  of  Religion.  Last  came  the  wave  of  modern  Science, 
and  with  iron  hand  it  has  subjugated  Religion. 

It  was  a  detriment  to  the  world  when  Religion  shackled 
Science.  Ignorance  and  Superstition  caused  untold  woe, 
nevertheless  man  cherished  a  lofty  spiritual  ideal  then;  he 
hoped  for  a  higher  and  better  life.  It  is  infinitely  more  dis- 
astrous that  Science  is  killing  Religion,  for  now  even  Hope, 
the  only  gift  of  the  gods  left  in  Pandora's  box,  may  vanish 
before  Materialism  and  Agnosticism. 

Such  a  state  cannot  continue.  Reaction  must  set  in.  If 
it  does  not,  Anarchy  will  rend  the  Cosmos.  To  avert  a 
calamity  Religion,  Science  and  Art  must  reunite  in  a  higher 
expression  of  the  Good,  the  True  and  the  Beautiful  than 
obtained  before  the  separation. 

Coming  events  cast  their  shadows  before,  and  when  the 
Great  Leaders  of  humanity  saw  the  tendency  towards  ultra- 
materialism  which  is  now  rampant  in  the  Western  World, 


518  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

they  took  certain  steps  to  counteract  and  transmute  it  at 
the  auspicious  time.  They  did  not  wish  to  kill  the  bud- 
ding Science  as  the  latter  has  strangled  Religion,  for  they 
saw  the  ultimate  good  which  will  result  when  an  advanced 
Science  has  again  become  the  co-worker  of  Eeligion. 

A  spiritual  Religion,  however,  cannot  blend  with  a  ma- 
terialistic Science  any  more  than  oil  can  mix  with  water. 
Therefore  steps  were  taken  to  spiritualize  Science  and  make 
Religion  scientific. 

In  the  thirteenth  century  a  high  spritual  teacher,  having 
the  symbolical  name  Christian  Rosenkreuz — Christian: 
Rose :  Cross — appeared  in  Europe  to  commence  that  work. 
He  founded  the  mysterious  Order  of  Rosicrucians  with  the 
object  of  throwing  occult  light  upon  the  misunderstood 
Christian  Religion  and  to  explain  the  mystery  of  Life  and 
Being  from  the  scientific  standpoint  in  harmony  with 
Religion. 

Many  centuries  have  rolled  by  since  the  birth,  as  Chris- 
tian Rosenkreuz,  of  the  Founder  of  the  Rosicrucian  Mystery 
School,  and  by  many  his  existence  is  even  regarded  as  a 
myth.  But  his  birth  as  Christian  Rosenkreuz  marked  the 
beginning  of  a  new  epoch  in  spiritual  life  of  the  Western 
World.  That  particular  Ego  has  also  been  in  continuous 
physical  existence  ever  since,  in  one  or  another  of  the 
European  Countries.  He  has  taken  a  new  body  when  his 
successive  vehicles  have  outlived  their  usefulness,  or  cir- 
cumstances rendered  it  expedient  that  he  change  the  scene 
of  his  activities.  Moreover,  he  is  embodied  today — an 
Initiate  of  high  degree;  an  active  and  potent  factor  in  all 
affairs  of  the  West — although  unknown  to  the  World. 

He  labored  with  the  Alchemists  centuries  before  the  ad- 
vent of  modern  science.  He,  through  an  intermediary,  in- 
spired the  now-mutilated  works  of  Bacon.  Jacob  Boehme 


THE  ORDER  OF  ROSICRUCIANS  519 

and  others  received  through  him  the  inspiration  which 
makes  their  works  so  spiritually  illuminating.  In  the 
works  of  the  immortal  Goethe  and  the  masterpieces  of 
Wagner  the  same  influence  meets  us.  All  undaunted  spirits 
who  refuse  to  be  fettered  by  either  orthodox  science  or  or- 
thodox religion,  who  fling  away  the  husks  and  penetrate  to 
the  spiritual  kernel  regardless  of  vilification  or  of  flattery, 
draw  their  inspiration  from  the  same  fountain  as  did  and 
does  the  great  spirit  which  animated  Christian  Rosenkreuz. 
His  very  name  is  an  embodiment  of  the  manner  and  the 
means  by  which  the  present-day  man  is  transformed  into 
the  Divine  Superman.  This  symbol, 

"Christian  Rosen  Kreuz" 
[The]     Christian  Rose  Cross, 

shows  the  end  and  aim  of  human  evolution ;  the  road  to  be 
traveled,  and  the  means  whereby  that  end  is  gained.  The 
black  cross,  the  twining  green  stem  of  the  plant,  the  thorns, 
the  blood-red  roses — in  these  is  hidden  the  solution  of  the 
World  Mystery — Man's  past  evolution,  present  constitu- 
tion, and  particularly  the  secret  of  his  future  development. 

It  hides  from  the  profane,  but  reveals  to  the  Initiate  the 
more  clearly  how  he  is  to  labor  day  by  day  to  make  fer 
himself  that  choicest  of  all  gems,  the  Philosopher's  Stone — 
more  precious  than  the  Kohinoor;  nay,  than  the  sum  of 
all  earthly  wealth!  It  reminds  him  how  mankind,  in  its 
ignorance,  is  hourly  wasting  the  actual  concrete  material 
that  might  be  used  in  the  formation  of  this  priceless 
treasure. 

To  keep  him  steadfast  and  true  through  every  adversity, 
the  Rose-cross  holds  aloft,  as  an  inspiration,  the  glorious 
consummation  in  store  for  him  that  overcometh,  and  points 


520  ROSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

to  Christ  as  the  Star  of  Hope,  the  "first  fruite,"  Who 
wrought  this  marvelous  Stone  while  incarnate  in  the  body 
of  Jesus. 

Upon  investigation  it  has  been  found  that  there  was  in 
all  systems  of  Religion  a  teaching  reserved  for  the  Priest- 
craft and  not  given  to  the  multitude.  The  Christ  also 
spoke  to  the  multitude  in  parables,  but  explained  the  inner 
meaning  of  these  parables  to  the  disciples,  to  give  them  a 
deeper  understanding  more  suited  to  their  developed  minds. 

Paul  gave  "milk"  to  the  babes  or  younger  members  of  the 
community,  but  "meat"  to  the  strong  who  had  studied 
more  deeply.  Thus  there  has  always  been  an  inner  and 
an  outer  teaching,  and  this  inner  teaching  was  given  in  so- 
called  Mystery  Schools  which  have  changed  from  time  to 
time  to  suit  the  needs  of  the  people  among  whom  they  were 
designed  to  work. 

The  Order  of  Rosicrucians  is  not  merely  a  secret  society ; 
it  is  one  of  the  Mystery  Schools,  and  the  Brothers  are  Hiero- 
phants  of  the  lesser  Mysteries;  Custodians  of  the  Sacred 
Teachings  and  a  spiritual  Power  more  potent  in  the  life 
of  the  Western  World  than  any  of  the  visible  Governments ; 
though  they  may  not  interfere  with  humanity  so  as  to  de- 
prive them  of  their  free-will. 

As  the  path  of  development  in  all  cases  depends  upon 
the  temperament  of  the  aspirant,  there  are  two  paths, 
the  mystic  and  the  intellectual.  The  Mystic  is  usually  de- 
void of  intellectual  knowledge;  he  follows  the  dictates  of 
his  heajt  and  strives  to  do  the  will  of  God  as  he  feels  it, 
lifting  himself  upward  without  being  conscious  of  any 
definite  goal,  and  in  the  end  he  attains  to  knowledge.  In 
the  middle  ages  people  were  not  as  intellectual  as  we  are 
nowadays,  and  those  who  feel  the  call  of  a  higher  life, 
usually  follow  the  mystic  path.  But,  during  the  last  few 


THE  ORDER  OF  ROSICRUCIANS  521 

hundred  years,  since  the  advent  of  modern  science,  a  more 
intellectual  humanity  has  peopled  the  earth;  the  head  has 
completely  overruled  the  heart,  materialism  has  dominated 
all  spiritual  impulse  and  the  majority  of  thinking  people 
do  not  believe  anything  they  cannot  touch,  taste  or  handle. 
Therefore,  it  is  necessary  that  appeal  should  be  made  to 
their  intellect  in  order  that  the  heart  may  be  allowed  to 
believe  what  the  intellect  has  sanctioned.  As  a  response 
to  this  demand  the  Rosicrucian  Mystery  teachings  aim  to 
correlate  scientific  facts  to  spiritual  verities. 

In  the  past  these  have  been  kept  secret  from  all  but  a 
few  Initiates,  and  even  today  they  are  among  the  most  mys- 
terious and  secret  in  the  Western  World.  All  so-called 
"discoveries"  of  the  past  which  have  professed  to  reveal 
the  Rosicrucian  secrets,  have  been  either  fraudulent,  or 
the  result  of  treachery  upon  the  part  of  some  outsider  who 
may,  accidentally  or  otherwise,  have  overheard  fragments 
of  conversation,  unintelligible  to  all  but  those  who  have 
the  key.  It  is  possible  to  live  under  the  same  roof  and  on 
terms  of  the  closest  intimacy  with  an  Initiate  of  any  school, 
yet  his  secret  will  always  remain  hidden  in  his  breast  until 
the  friend  has  reached  the  point  where  he  can  become  a 
Brother  Initiate.  The  revealing  of  secrets  does  not  depend 
upon  the  Will  of  the  Initiate,  but  upon  the  qualifications  of 
the  aspirant. 

Like  all  other  Mystery-Orders,  the  Order  of  Rosicrucians 
is  formed  on  cosmic  lines:  If  we  take  balls  of  even  size 
and  try  how  many  it  will  take  to  cover  one  and  hide  it 
from  view,  we  shall  find  that  it  will  require  12  to  conceal 
a  thirteenth  ball.  The  ultimate  division  of  physical  mat- 
ter, the  true  atom,  found  in  interplanetary  space,  is  thus 
grouped  in  twelve  around  one.  The  twelve  signs  of  the 
Zodiac  enveloping  our  Solar  System,  the  twelve  semi-tones 


522  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

of  the  musical  scale  comprising  the  octave,  the  twelve 
Apostles  who  clustered  around  the  Christ,  etc.,  are  other 
examples  of  this  grouping  of  12  and  1.  The  Eosicrucian 
Order  is  therefore  also  composed  of  12  Brothers  and  a  13th. 

There  are  other  divisions  to  be  noted,  however.  We  have 
seen  that  of  the  Heavenly  Host  of  twelve  Creative  Hier- 
archies who  were  active  in  our  scheme  of  evolution,  five 
have  withdrawn  to  liberation,  leaving  only  seven  to  busy 
themselves  with  our  further  progress.  It  is  in  harmony 
with  this  fact  that  the  man  of  today,  the  indwelling  Ego, 
the  microcosm,  works  outwards  through  seven  visible  ori- 
fices in  his  body:  2  eyes,  2  ears,  2  nostrils  and  a  mouth, 
while  five  more  orifices  are  wholly  or  partially  closed  ;  the 
mammae,  the  umbilicus  and  the  two  excretory  organs. 

The  seven  roses  which  garnish  our  beautiful  emblem  and 
the  five  pointed  radiating  star  behind,  are  emblematical  of 
the  twelve  Great  Creative  Hierarchies  which  have  assisted 
the  evolving  human  spirit  through  the  previous  conditions 
as  mineral,  plant  and  animal,  when  it  was  devoid  of  self- 
consciousness  and  unable  to  care  for  itself  in  the  slightest 
degree.  Of  these  twelve  hosts  of  Great  Beings,  three  classes 
worked  upon  and  with  man  of  their  own  free  wills  and 
without  any  obligation  whatever. 

These  are  symbolized  by  the  three  points  in  the  star  upon 
our  emblem  which  point  upwards.  Two  more  of  the  G  reat 
Hierarchies  are  upon  the  point  of  withdrawal,  and  these 
are  pictured  in  the  two  points  of  the  star  which  radiate 
downward  from  the  center.  The  seven  roses  reveal  the 
fact  that  there  are  still  seven  Great  Creative  Hierarchies 
active  in  the  development  of  the  beings  upon  earth,  and  as 
all  of  these  various  classes  from  the  smallest  to  the  great- 
est are  but  parts  of  One  Great  Whole  whom  we  call  God, 
the  whole  emblem  is  a  symbol  of  God  in  manifestation. 


THE  OBDER  OF  BOSICRUCIANS  533 

The  Hermetic  axiom  says :  "As  above  so  below/'  and  the 
lesser  teachers  of  mankind  are  also  grouped  upon  the  same 
cosmic  lines  of  7,  5  and  1.  There  are  upon  earth  seven 
schools  of  the  lesser  Mysteries,  five  of  the  Greater  Mysteries 
and  the  whole  is  grouped  under  one  Central  Head  Who  is 
called  the  Liberator. 

In  the  Order  of  Rosicrucians  seven  Brothers  go  out  into 
the  World  whenever  occasion  requires;  appearing  as  men 
among  other  men  or  working  in  their  invisible  vehicles 
with  or  upon  others  as  needed ;  yet  it  must  be  strictly  kept 
in  mind  that  they  never  influence  anyone  against  their  will 
or  contrary  to  their  desires;  but  only  strengthen  good 
wherever  found. 

The  remaining  five  Brothers  never  leave  the  temple ;  and 
though  they  do  possess  physical  bodies  all  their  work  is  done 
from  the  inner  Worlds. 

The  Thirteenth  is  Head  of  the  Order,  the  link  with  a 
higher  Central  Council  composed  of  the  Hierophants  of  the 
Greater  Mysteries,  who  do  not  deal  with  ordinary  humanity 
at  all,  but  only  with  graduates  of  the  lesser  Mysteries. 

The  Head  of  the  Order  is  hidden  from  the  outside  world 
by  the  twelve  Brothers,  as  the  central  ball  mentioned  in 
our  illustration.  Even  the  pupils  of  the  School  never  see 
him,  but  at  the  nightly  Services  in  the  Temple  His  presence 
is  felt  by  all,  whenever  He  enters,  and  is  the  signal  for  the 
commencement  of  the  ceremony. 

Gathered  around  the  Brothers  of  the  Rose  Cross,  as  their 
pupils,  are  a  number  of  "lay-brothers";  people  who  live  in 
various  parts  of  the  Western  World,  but  are  able  to  leave 
their  bodies  consciously,  attend  the  services  and  participate 
in  the  spiritual  work  at  the  temple ;  they  having  each  and 
every  one  been  "initiated"  in  the  method  of  so  doing  by 
one  of  the  Elder  Brothers.  Most  of  them  are  able  to  re- 


524  BOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

member  all  that  happens,  but  there  are  a  few  cases  where 
the  faculty  of  leaving  the  body  was  acquired  in  a  previous 
life  of  well-doing  and  where  a  drug-habit  or  a  sickness  con- 
tracted in  the  present  existence  has  unfitted  the  brain  to 
receive  impression  of  the  work  done  by  the  man  when  away. 

Initiation. 

The  general  idea  of  initiation  is  that  it  is  merely  a  cere- 
mony which  makes  one  a  member  of  a  secret  society;  that 
it  may  be  conferred  upon  anyone  willing  to  pay  a  certain 
price,  a  sum  of  money  in  most  cases. 

While  that  is  true  of  the  so-called  initiation  of  fraternal 
orders  and  also  in  most  pseudo-occult  orders,  it  is  alto- 
gether an  erroneous  idea  when  applied  to  initiations  into 
various  degrees  of  truly  occult  Brotherhoods,  as  a  little 
understanding  of  the  real  requirements  and  of  their  reason- 
ableness will  readily  make  clear. 

In  the  first  place  there  is  no  golden  key  to  the  temple; 
merit  counts  but  not  money.  Merit  is  not  acquired  in  a 
day ;  it  is  the  cumulative  product  of  past  good  action.  The 
Candidate  for  initiation  is  usually  totally  unconscious  that 
he  is  a  candidate,  he  is  usually  living  his  life  in  the  com- 
munity and  serving  his  fellow-man  for  days  and  years  with- 
out any  ulterior  thought  until  one  day  there  appears  in  his 
life  the  teacher,  a  Hierophant  of  the  lesser  Mysteries  appro- 
priate to  the  country  in  which  he  resides.  By  this  time  the 
candidate  has  cultivated  within  himself  certain  faculties, 
stored  up  certain  powers  for  service  and  help,  of  which  he 
is  usually  unconscious  or  which  he  does  not  know  how  to 
properly  utilize.  The  task  of  the  initiator  will  now  be 
plain,  he  shows  the  candidate  the  latent  faculties,  the  dor- 
mant powers  and  initiates  him  into  their  use;  explains 


THE  OEDER  OF  EOSICEUCIANS  535 

or  demonstrates  to  him  for  the  first  time  how  the  candidate 
may  awaken  the  static  energy  into  a  dynamic  power. 

Initiation  may  be  accomplished  by  a  ceremony,  or  not, 
but  let  it  be  particularly  observed,  that  while  Initiation 
is  the  inevitable  culmination  of  prolonged  spiritual  en- 
deavor, whether  conscious  or  the  reverse  upon  the  part 
of  the  candidate,  it  can  positively  never  take  place  till 
the  requisite  inner  development  has  accumulated  the  latent 
powers  which  Initiation  teaches  how  to  use  dynamically, 
any  more  than  pulling  the  trigger  can  cause  an  explosion 
in  a  gun  that  has  not  first  been  loaded. 

Neither  is  there  any  danger  that  the  teacher  may  over- 
look anyone  who  has  attained  the  requisite  development. 
Each  good  and  unselfish  deed  increases  the  luminosity  and 
vibrant  power  of  the  candidate's  aura  enormously,  and  as 
surely  as  the  magnet  attracts  the  needle,  so  will  the  brill- 
iancy of  that  auric  light  bring  the  teacher. 

It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  describe  in  a  book  intended 
for  the  general  public  the  stages  of  the  Kosicrucian  Initia- 
tion ;  to  do  so  would  be  a  breach  of  faith,  and  it  would  also 
be  impossible  for  lack  of  words  to  adequately  express  one- 
self. But  it  is  permissible  to  give  an  outline  and  to  show 
the  purpose  of  initiation. 

The  lesser  Mysteries  deal  only  with  evolution  of  man- 
kind during  the  Earth  Period.  In  the  first  three  and  one- 
half  Revolutions  of  the  life-wave  around  the  seven  globes 
the  Virgin  Spirits  had  not  yet  attained  consciousness.  In 
consequence  of  this  fact  we  are  ignorant  of  how  we  came  to 
be  as  we  are  today.  The  candidate  is  to  have  light  upon 
that  subject  so  by  the  spell  of  the  Hierophants  during  the 
period  of  initiation  into  the  first  degree  his  consciousness  is 
turned  towards  that  page  of  the  memory  of  nature  bearing 
the  records  of  the  first  revolution  when  we  recapitulated  the 


526  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

i 

development  of  the  Saturn  Period.  He  is  still  in  full  pos- 
session of  his  every-day  consciousness;  he  knows  and  re- 
members the  facts  of  twentieth  Century  life,  but  he  is  now 
consciously  watching  the  progress  of  the  evolving  host  of 
Virgin  Spirits  of  which  he  formed  one  unit  during  the 
Saturn  Eevolution.  Thus  he  learns  how  the  first  steps 
were  taken  in  the  Earth  Period  towards  the  goal  of  attain- 
ment which  will  be  revealed  to  him  in  a  later  step. 

Having  learned  the  lesson  as  practically  described  in 
Chapter  X,  the  candidate  has  acquired  first-hand  knowl- 
edge upon  this  subject  and  has  come  into  direct  touch  with 
the  Creative  Hierarchies  in  their  work  with  and  upon  man ; 
he  is  therefore  able  to  appreciate  their  beneficent  labors  in 
the  World  and  is  in  a  measure  able  to  range  himself  in  line 
with  them ;  becoming  thus  far  their  co-worker. 

When  the  time  has  arrived  for  him  to  take  the  second 
degree,  he  is  similarly  caused  to  turn  his  attention  to  the 
conditions  of  the  second  Eevolution  of  the  Earth-Period, 
and  as  depicted  in  the  memory  of  nature ;  then  he  watches 
in  full  consciousness  the  progress  made  at  that  time  by  the 
Virgin  Spirits,  much  as  Peter  Ibbettson — the  hero  of  a 
book,  "Peter  Ibbettson,"  by  George  du  Maurier;  it  is  well 
worth  reading,  for  it  is  a  graphic  description  of  certain 
phases  of  subconsciousness — watched  his  child-life  during 
the  nights  when  he  "dreamed  true."  In  the  third  degree  he 
follows  the  evolution  of  the  third  or  Moon,  Revolution,  and 
in  the  fourth  degree  he  sees  the  progress  made  in  the  half- 
Revolution  we  have  made  of  the  fourth. 

There  is,  however,  a  further  step  taken  in  each  degree; 
the  pupil  sees  in  addition  to  the  work  done  in  each  revolu- 
tion also  the  work  accomplished  in  the  corresponding  Epoch 
during  our  present  stay  upon  globe  D,  the  Earth. 

During  the  first  degree  he  follows  the  work  of  the  Saturn 


THE  ORDER  OF  ROSICRUCIANS  537 

Revolution  and  its  latest  consummation  in  the  Polarian 
Epoch. 

In  the  second  degree  he  follows  the  work  of  the  Sun 
Revolution  and  its  replica :  the  Hyperborean  Epoch. 

During  the  third  degree  he  watches  the  work  as  per- 
formed in  the  Moon-Revolution  and  sees  how  that  was  the 
basis  of  life  in  the  Lemurian  Epoch. 

During  the  fourth  degree  he  sees  the  evolution  of  the 
last  half-Revolution  with  its  corresponding  period  of  time 
in  our  present  stay  on  Earth ;  the  first  half  of  the  Atlantean 
Epoch  which  ended  when  the  dense  foggy  atmosphere  sub- 
sided, and  the  sun  first  shone  upon  land  and  sea ;  then  the 
night  of  unconsciousness  was  over,  the  eyes  of  the  indwell- 
ing Ego  were  fully  opened,  and  he  was  able  to  turn  the 
Light  of  Reason  upon  the  problem  of  conquering  the  World. 
That  was  the  time  when  a  man  as  we  now  know  him  was 
first-born. 

When  in  the  olden  systems  of  initiation  we  hear  that  the 
candidate  was  entranced  for  a  period  of  three  and  one-half 
days,  reference  is  had  to  the  part  of  initiation  just  described, 
and  the  three  and  one-half  days  refer  to  the  stages  gone 
through,  they  are  not  by  any  means  days  of  twenty-four 
hours;  the  actual  time  varies  with  each  candidate,  but  in 
all  cases  he  is  taken  through  the  unconscious  development 
of  mankind  during  the  past  Revolutions,  and  when  it  is 
said  that  he  is  awakened  at  the  time  of  sunrise  on  the 
fourth  day  that  is  the  mystical  way  of  expressing  that  his 
initiation  into  the  work  of  the  involutionary  career  of  man 
ceases  at  the  time  when  the  sun  rose  above  the  clear  atmos- 
phere of  Atlantis.  Then  the  candidate  is  also  hailed  as  a 
"first-born." 

Having  become  familiar  with  the  road  we  have  traveled 
in  the  past,  the  fifth  degree  takes  the  candidate  to  the  very 


528  KOSICEUC'IAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

end  of  the  Earth  Period,  when  a  glorious  humanity  is  gath- 
ering the  fruits  of  this  Period  and  taking  it  away  from  the 
seven  globes  upon  which  we  evolve  during  each  day  of  mani- 
festation, into  the  first  of  the  five  dark  globes  which  are 
our  habitation  during  the  Cosmic  nights.  The  densest  of 
these  is  located  in  the  Eegion  of  Abstract  Thought,  and  is 
in  reality  the  "Chaos"  spoken  of  on  page  249  and  the  fol- 
lowing pages.  This  globe  is  also  the  Third  Heaven,  and 
when  Paul  speaks  of  being  caught  up  into  the  Third 
Heaven  and  of  seeing  things  there  which  he  could  not  law- 
fully reveal,  he  was  referring  to  the  experiences  of  an 
equivalent  of  this  fifth  degree  in  the  present  Rosicrucian 
Mysteries. 

After  being  shown  the  end  in  the  fifth  degree,  the  candi- 
date is  made  acquainted  with  the  means  whereby  that  end 
is  to  be  attained  during  the  remaining  three  and  one-half 
Revolutions  of  the  Earth  Period;  the  four  remaining  de- 
grees being  devoted  to  his  enlightenment  in  that  respect. 

By  the  insight  he  has  thus  acquired  he  is  able  to  intelli- 
gently co-operate  with  the  Powers  that  work  for  Good,  and 
thus  he  will  help  to  hasten  the  day  of  our  emancipation. 

In  order  to  rout  a  common  misconception  we  wish  to 
make  clear  to  students  that  we  are  not  Rosicrucians  because 
we  study  their  teachings,  nor  does  even  admission  to  the 
temple  entitle  us  to  call  ourselves  by  that  name.  The 
writer,  for  instance,  is  only  a  lay-brother,  a  pupil,  and  would 
under  no  circumstances  call  himself  a  Rosicrucian. 

We  know  well,  that  when  a  boy  has  graduated  from 
grammar  school  he  is  not  therefore  fitted  to  teach.  He 
must  first  go  through  high  school  and  college,  and  even 
then  he  may  not  feel  the  call  to  be  a  school  teacher. 
Similarly  in  the  school  of  life,  because  a  man  has  grad- 
uated from  the  Rosicrucian  Mystery  School  he  is  not  even 


THE  ORDER  OF  ROSICRUC1ANS  539 

then  a  Rosicrucian.  Graduates  from  the  various  schools  of 
the  lesser  mysteries  advance  into  five  schools  of  the  greater 
mysteries.  In  the  first  four  they  pass  the  four  Great  Ini- 
tiations and  at  last  reach  the  Liberator,  where  they  receive 
a  knowledge  concerning  other  evolutions  and  are  given  the 
choice  of  remaining  here  to  assist  their  brothers  or  enter 
other  evolutions  as  Helpers.  Those  who  elect  to  stay  here 
as  helpers  are  given  various  positions  according  to  their 
tastes  and  natural  bent.  The  Brothers  of  the  Rose  Cross 
are  among  those  Compassionate  Ones,  and  it  is  a  sacrilege  to 
drag  the  Rosicrucian  name  in  the  mire  by  applying  it  to  our- 
selves when  we  are  merely  students  of  their  lofty  teachings. 

During  the  past  few  centuries  the  Brothers  have  worked 
for  humanity  in  secret;  each  night  at  midnight  there  is  a 
Service  at  the  temple  where  the  Elder  Brothers,  assisted 
by  the  lay-brothers  who  are  able  to  leave  their  work  in  the 
World  (for  many  of  them  reside  in  places  where  it  is  yet 
day  when  it  is  midnight  in  the  location  of  the  temple  of  the 
Rose  Cross),  gather  up  from  everywhere  in  the  Western 
World  the  thoughts  of  sensuality,  greed,  selfishness  and 
materialism.  These  they  seek  to  transmute  into  pure  love, 
benevolence,  altruism  and  spiritual  aspirations  sending 
them  back  to  the  World  to  uplift  and  encourage  all  Good. 
Were  it  not  for  this  potent  source  of  spiritual  vibration 
materialism  must  long  ago  have  totally  squelched  all  spir- 
itual effort,  for  there  has  never  been  a  darker  age  from  the 
spiritual  standpoint  than  the  last  three  hundred  years  of 
materialism. 

Now  the  time  has  come,  however,  when  the  method  of 
secret  endeavor  is  to  be  supplemented  with  a  more  direct 
effort  to  promulgate  a  definite,  logical  and  sequential  teach- 
ing concerning  the  origin,  evolution  and  future  develop- 
ment of  the  World  and  man;  showing  both  the  spiritual 


530  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

and  the  scientific  aspect;  a  teaching  which  makes  no  state- 
ments that  are  not  supported  by  reason  and  logic;  a 
teaching  which  is  satisfying  to  the  mind,  for  it  holds  out  a 
reasonable  solution  to  all  mysteries;  it  neither  begs  nor 
evades  questions  and  its  explanations  are  both  profound 
and  lucid. 

But,  and  this  is  a  very  important  "But,"  the  Rosicrucians 
do  not  regard  an  intellectual  understanding  of  God  and  the 
Universe  as  an  end  in  itself;  far  from  it !  The  greater  the 
intellect,  the  greater  the  danger  of  its  misuse.  Therefore, 
this  scientific,  logical  and  exhaustive  teaching  is  given  in 
order  that  man  may  believe  in  his  heart  that  which  his  head 
has  sanctioned  and  start  to  live  the  religious  life. 

THE  BOSICRUCIAN  FELLOWSHIP. 

In  order  to  promulgate  this  teaching  the  Rosicrucian 
Fellowship  has  been  formed,  and  anyone  who  is  not  a 
HYPNOTIST,  professional  MEDIUM,  CLAIRVOYANT,  PALMIST 
or  ASTROLOGER,  may  enroll  as  a  Student  by  writing  to  the 
General  Secretary.  There  is  no  fee  for  Initiation,  or  dues. 
Money  cannot  buy  our  teaching,  advancement  depends  on 
merit. 

When  a  student  of  the  Rosicrucian  teachings  has  become 
so  imbued  with  the  verity  thereof,  that  he  is  prepared  to 
sever  his  connection  with  all  other  occult  or  religious  or- 
ders— the  Christian  Churches  and  Fraternal  Orders  are 
excepted — he  may  assume  the  Obligation  which  admits  him 
to  the  degree  of  Probationer. 

We  do  not  mean  to  insinuate  by  the  foregoing  clause 
that  all  other  schools  of  occultism  are  of  no  account — far 
from  it — many  roads  lead  to  Rome,  but  we  shall  attain 
with  much  less  effort  if  we  follow  one  of  them  than  if  we 


THE  ORDER  OF  ROSICRUCIANS  531 

zigzag  from  path  to  path.  Our  time  and  energy  are  limited 
in  the  first  place,  and  are  still  further  curtailed  by  family 
and  social  duties  not  to  be  neglected  for  self-development. 
It  is  to  husband  the  minim  of  energy  which  we  may  legiti- 
mately expend  upon  ourselves,  and  to  avoid  waste  of  the 
scanty  moments  at  our  disposal,  that  resignation  from  all 
other  Orders  is  insisted  upon  by  the  leaders. 

The  world  is  an  aggregate  of  opportunities,  but  to  take 
advantage  of  any  one  of  them  we  must  possess  efficiency  in 
a  certain  line  of  endeavor.  Development  of  our  spiritual 
powers  will  enable  us  to  help  or  harm  our  weaker  brothers. 
It  is  only  justifiable  when  efficiency  in  Service  of  Humanity 
is  the  object. 

The  Rosicrucian  method  of  attainment  differs  from  other 
systems  in  one  especial  particular:  It  aims,  even  at  the 
very  start,  to  emancipate  the  pupil  from  dependence  upon 
others,  to  make  him  Self-Reliant  in  the  very  highest  degree, 
so  that  he  may  be  able  to  stand  alone  under  all  circum- 
stances and  cope  with  all  conditions.  Only  one  who  is 
thus  strongly  poised  can  help  the  weak. 

When  a  number  of  people  meet  in  a  class  or  circle  for 
self-development  along  Negative  lines,  results  are  usually 
achieved  in  a  short  time  on  the  principle  that  it  is  easier 
to  drift  with  the  tide  than  to  breast  the  current.  The 
medium  is  not  master  of  his  actions,  however,  but  the 
slave  of  a  spirit  control.  Hence  such  gatherings  must  be 
shunned  by  Probationers. 

Even  classes  which  meet  in  positive  attitude  of  mind  are 
not  advised  by  the  Elder  Brothers,  because  the  latent  powers 
of  all  members  are  massed  and  visions  of  the  inner  worlds 
obtained  by  anyone  there,  are  partly  due  to  the  faculties 
of  others.  The  heat  of  coal  in  the  center  of  a  fire  is  en- 
hanced by  surrounding  coals,  and  the  clairvoyant  produced 


532  EOSICKUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

in  a  circle,  be  it  ever  so  positive,  is  a  hot-house  plant,  too 
dependent  himself  to  be  trusted  with  the  care  of  others. 

Therefore  each  Probationer  in  the  llosicrucian  Fellow- 
ship performs  his  exercises  in  the  seclusion  and  privacy  of 
his  room.  Results  may  be  obtained  more  slowly  by  this 
system,  but  when  they  appear,  they  will  be  manifest  as 
powers  cultivated  by  himself,  useable  independently  of  all 
others.  Besides,  the  Eosicrucian  methods  build  charade  r 
at  the  same  time  as  they  develop  spiritual  faculties  and  thus 
safeguard  the  pupil  against  yielding  to  temptation  to  pros- 
titute divine  powers  for  worldly  prestige. 

When  the  Probationer  has  complied  with  the  necessary 
requirements  and  completed  the  term  of  probation,  he  may 
send  request  for  individual  instruction  by  the  Elder  Broth- 
ers through  the  General  Secretary. 

When  this  request  has  been  granted  the  Probationer  be- 
comes a  Disciple  and  is  gradually  fitted  for  work  as  an  In- 
visible Helper. 


THE  OBDER  OF  RO3ICRUCIANS  533 


from  tfje  &o*e  Cross; 


The  Rosicrucian  Fellowship  has,  among  other  activities, 
a  correspondence  course  of  monthly  letters  and  lessons  for 
Student  a.  The  lessons  are  contained  in  little  pamphlets 
entitled  "Rays  from  the  Rose  Cross/'  and  bound  in  durable 
paper  covers  with  our  beautiful  symbolical  cover  design. 
In  the  letters  Mr.  Heindel  takes  up  and  emphasizes  points 
in  the  lesson,  which  is  thus  thoroughly  impressed  upon  the 
consciousness  of  the  Student. 

There  is  also  an  advanced  correspondence  course  open  to 
Probationers  to  help  them  derive  the  greatest  possible  bene- 
fit from  their  exercises  and  advance  them  upon  the  path  to 
Discipleship. 

Upon  request,  the  General  Secretary  Rosicrucian  Fellow- 
ship (Esoteric  Section),  P.  0.  Box  866,  Ocean  Park,  Cal., 
will  send  application  blank  for  the  elementary  correspond- 
ence course  to  anyone  who  wishes  to  study  the  Rosicrucian 
teachings  directly  with  Mr.  Heindel.  When  that  is  filled 
out  and  returned,  the  applicant's  name  will  be  placed  upon 
Mr.  Heindel's  correspondence  list  and  he  will  receive  the 
letters  and  lessons  in  due  time. 

These  letters  and  lessons  are  not  sold,  the  Rosicrucian 
teachings  are  free,  but  the  expenses  incidental  to  their  pro- 
duction and  distribution  are  met  by  free  will  offerings  from 
grateful  students  according  to  ability.  From  one  comes 
"the  widow's  mite,"  from  another  a  munificent  donation, 
but  all  receive  the  same  teaching  and  attention  irrespective 
of  whether  they  are  able  to  contribute  or  not. 


534  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 


THE  SYMBOLISM  OF  THE  ROSE  CROSS 


When  inquiring  into  the  meaning  of  any  myth,  legend  or 
symbol  of  occult  value,  it  is  an  absolute  necessity  that  we 
should  understand  that,  like  any  object  in  the  three-dimen- 
sional world  may,  or  rather  must,  be  viewed  from  all  points 
to  obtain  a  full  and  complete  comprehension  thereof,  so  all 
symbols  have  a  number  of  aspects.  Each  viewpoint  reveals 
a  different  phase  from  the  others,  and  all  have  an  equal 
claim  to  consideration. 

Viewed  in  its  fullness,  this  wonderful  symbol  contains 
the  key  to  man's  past  evolution,  his  present  constitution 
and  future  development,  together  with  the  method  of  attain- 
ment. In  the  form  where  it  is  represented  with  a  single 
rose  in  the  center  it  symbolizes  the  spirit  radiating  from 
itself  the  four  vehicles:  the  dense,  vital  and  desire-bodies 
plus  the  mind ;  where  the  spirit  has  drawn  into  its  instru- 
ments and  become  the  indwelling  human  spirit.  But  there 
was  a  time  when  that  condition  did  not  obtain,  a  time  when 
the  three-fold  spirit  hovered  above  its  vehicles  and  was  un- 
able to  enter.  Then  the  cross  stood  alone  without  the  rose, 
symbolizing  the  condition  which  prevailed  in  the  early 
third  of  Atlantis.  There  was  even  a  time  when  the  upper 
limb  of  the  cross  was  lacking  and  man's  constitution  was 
represented  by  the  Tau  (T)  that  was  in  the  Lemurian 


THE  ORDER  OF  ROSICRUC1ANS  535 

epoch  when  he  had  only  the  dense,  vital  and  desire  bodies, 
but  lacked  the  mind.  Then  the  animal  nature  was  para- 
mount. Man  followed  desire  without  reserve.  At  a  still 
earlier  time,  in  the  Hyperborean  Epoch,  he  was  also  minus 
desire-body  and  possessed  only  of  the  dense  and  vital  bodies. 
Then  man-in-the-making  was  like  the  plants:  chaste  and 
devoid  of  desire.  At  that  time  his  constitution  could  not 
have  been  represented  by  a  cross.  It  was  symbolized  by  a 
straight  shaft,  a  pillar  (I). 

This  symbol  has  been  considered  phallic,  an  emblem 
showing  the  licentiousness  of  the  people  who  worshipped  it. 
Truly  it  is  a  symbol  of  generation,  but  generation  is  by  no 
means  synonymous  with  degradation — for  from  it — the  pil- 
lar is  the  lower  limb  of  the  cross,  symbolical  of  man-in-the- 
making  when  he  was  plantlike.  The  plant  is  unconscious  of 
passion,  desire,  innocent  of  evil.  It  generates  and  perpetu- 
ates its  species  in  a  manner  so  pure,  so  chaste,  that,  prop- 
erly understood,  it  is  a  model  for  fallen  and  passionate 
humanity  to  worship  as  an  ideal  and  it  was  given  to  earlier 
races  with  that  intent.  The  Phallus  and  Yona  used  in  the 
Greek  mystery  temples  were  given  by  the  hierophants  in 
that  spirit,  and  over  the  temple  was  placed  the  enigmatical 
words:  "Man,  know  thyself,"  which,  properly  understood, 
is  similar  to  the  Eose  Cross,  for  it  shows  the  reason  for 
man's  fall  into  desire,  passion  and  sin,  and  gives  the  key  to 
his  liberation,  in  the  same  way  that  the  roses  upon  the  cross 
indicate  the  path  of  liberation. 

The  plant  is  innocent,  but  not  virtuous;  it  has  netiher 
desire  nor  choice.  Man  has  both.  He  may  follow  desire  or 
not  as  he  wishes,  that  he  may  learn  to  master  himself. 

While  he  was  plant-like,  a  hermaphrodite,  he  could  gen- 
erate from  himself  without  the  help  of  another,  but  though 
he  was  as  chaste  and  as  innocent  as  the  plants,  he  was  also 


536  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

as  unconscious  and  inert.  In  order  to  advance  he  must 
have  desire  to  spur  him  on,  and  a  mind  to  guide  him,  and 
therefore  half  his  creative  force  was  retained  for  the  pur- 
pose of  huilding  a  brain  and  a  larynx.  He  had  at  that 
time  a  round  shape  similar  to  that  of  the  embryo,  and 
the  present  larynx  was  a  part  of  the  creative  organ  which 
adhered  to  the  head  when  the  body  straightened  out.  The 
connection  between  the  two  is  seen  even  today  in  the  fact 
that  the  boy,  who  expresses  the  positive  pole  of  the  gener- 
ative force,  changes  his  voice  at  puberty.  That  the  same 
force  which  builds  another  body  when  it  is  sent  outwards 
builds  the  brain  when  retained  is  equally  clear  when  we  con- 
sider that  sex-mania  leads  to  insanity,  while  the  profound 
thinker  will  feel  little  inclination  for  amorous  practices. 
He  uses  all  his  creative  force  to  generate  thought  instead 
of  wasting  it  in  sense-gratification. 

At  the  time  when  man  commenced  to  withhold  half  his 
creative  force  for  the  above-mentioned  purpose,  his  con- 
sciousness was  directed  inwards  to  build  organs.  He  was 
capable  of  seeing  these  organs  and  he  used  the  same  creative 
force  then  under  the  direction  of  Creative  Hierarchies  in 
planning  and  in  executing  plans  of  organs,  that  he  now 
uses  in  the  outer  world  to  build  airships,  houses,  automo- 
biles, telephones,  etc.  Then  he  was  unconscious  of  how  that 
half  of  the  creative  force  was  used  which  was  sent  outwards 
for  generation  of  another  body. 

Generation  was  carried  on  under  the  guidance  of  Angels. 
At  certain  times  of  the  year  they  herded  the  growing  man 
together  in  great  temples  and  there  the  generative  act  was 
performed.  Man  was  unconscious  of  the  fact.  His  eyes 
had  not  yet  been  opened,  and  though  it  was  necessary  for 
him  to  have  a  partner  who  had  the  half  or  other  pole  of  the 
creative  force  available  for  generation  which  he  retained  to 


THE  OEDER  OF  EOSICBUCIANS  537 

build  organs  within,  he  did  not  at  first  know  his  wife.  In  or- 
dinary life  he  was  shut  within  himself  so  far  as  the  Physical 
World  was  concerned,  but  it  was  different  when  he  was 
brought  into  such  intimate  and  close  touch  with  another,  as 
in  the  case  in  the  generative  act.  Then  for  the  moment  the 
spirit  pierced  the  veil  of  flesh  and  Adam  knew  his  wife.  He 
had  ceased  to  know  himself — thus  his  consciousness  became 
more  and  more  and  more  centered  outside  himself  in  the 
outside  world  and  he  lost  his  inner  perception.  That  can- 
not be  fully  regained  until  he  has  passed  to  the  stage  where 
it  is  no  longer  necessary  to  have  a  partner  in  generation, 
and  he  has  reached  the  development  where  he  can  again 
utilize  his  whole  creative  force  at  will.  Then  he  will  again 
know  himself  as  he  did  during  his  stage  of  plant-like  ex- 
istence, but  with  this  all-important  difference  that  he  will 
use  his  creative  faculty  consciously,  and  will  not  be  re- 
stricted to  using  it  solely  for  the  pro-creation  of  his  own 
species,  but  may  create  whatever  he  will.  Neither  will  he 
use  his  present  organs  of  generation,  but  the  larynx  will 
speak  the  creative  word  as  directed  by  the  spirit  through  the 
co-ordinating  mechanism  of  the  brain.  Thus  the  two  or- 
gans built  by  half  the  creative  force  will  in  time  be  the 
means  whereby  man  will  eventually  become  an  independent 
self-conscious  creator. 

Even  at  the  present  time  man  molds  matter  both  by 
thought  and  voice,  as  instanced  in  scientific  experiments 
where  thoughts  have  created  an  image  on  photographic 
plates,  and  where  the  human  voice  has  created  geometrical 
figures  in  sand,  etc.  In  proportion  as  man  becomes  unselfish 
he  will  release  the  creative  force  held  in  leash.  That  will 
give  him  added  thought  power  and  enable  him  to  utilize  it 
for  upliftment  of  others  instead  of  to  plan  how  to  degrade 
and  subject  others  to  his  will.  He  will  learn  how  to  master 


538  '  HOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

himself  and  cease  to  try  to  master  others,  except  it  be  done 
temporarily  for  their  good,  but  never  for  selfish  ends.  Only 
one  who  has  mastered  himself  is  qualified  to  rule  others, 
and  competent  to  judge  when  that  should  be  done,  and 
what  is  best  for  them. 

Thus  we  see  that  in  time  the  present  passionate  mode  of 
generation  will  be  again  superceded  by  a  pure  and  more 
efficient  method  than  the  present,  and  that  also  is  symbol- 
ized in  the  Eose  Cross  where  the  rose  is  placed  in  the  center 
between  the  four  arms.  The  long  limb  represents  the  body, 
the  two  horizontals,  the  two  arms  and  the  short  upper  limb, 
the  head.  The  the  rose  is  in  place  of  the  larynx. 

The  rose,  like  any  other  flower,  is  the  generative  organ 
of  the  plant.  Its  green  stem  carries  the  colorless,  passion- 
less plant-blood.  The  blood-red  rose  shows  the  passion  filled 
blood  of  the  human  race,  but  in  the  rose  the  vital  fluid  is 
not  sensuous,  it  is  chaste  and  pure.  Thus  it  is  an  excellent 
symbol  of  the  generative  organ  in  the  pure  and  holy  state 
to  which  man  will  attain  when  he  has  cleansed  and  purified 
his  blood  from  desire,  when  he  has  become  chaste,  pure  and 
Christ-like. 

Therefore  the  Eosicrucians  look  ardently  forward  to  the 
day  when  the  roses  shall  bloom  upon  the  cross  of  humanity, 
therefore  the  Elder  Brothers  greet  the  aspiring  soul  with 
the  words  of  the  Eosicrucian  Greeting:  "May  the  Eoses 
bloom  upon  your  Cross,"  and  therefore  the  greeting  is  given 
in  the  meetings  of  the  Fellowship  Centers  by  the  leader  to 
the  assembled  students,  probationers  and  disciples  who  re- 
spond to  the  greeting  by  saying  "And  on  yours,  also." 

John  speaks  of  his  purification  (1st  epistle,  iii,  9)  and 
says  that  he  who  is  born  of  God  cannot  sin,  for  he  keepeth 
his  seed  within  him.  It  is  an  absolute  necessity  to  progress 
that  the  aspirant  should  be  chaste.  Yet  it  must  also  be 


THE  OBDER  OF  EOSICRUCIANS  539 

borne  in  mind,  that  absolute  celibacy  is  not  required  of  man 
until  he  has  reached  a  point  where  he  is  ready  for  the  great 
initiations,  and  that  it  is  a  duty  we  owe  to  the  whole  to  per- 
petuate the  race.  If  we  are  mentally,  morally,  physically 
and  financially  able,  we  may  approach  the  act  of  generation 
as  a  holy  sacrifice  laid  upon  the  altar  of  humanity,  but  not 
for  sensual  pleasure.  Neither  should  it  be  performed  in  an 
austere,  forbidding  frame  of  mind,  but  in  glad  giving  up  of 
oneself  for  the  privilege  of  furnishing  a  friend  seeking  in- 
carnation with  the  body  and  environment  he  needs  for 
development.  Thus  we  shall  also  help  him  cultivate  the 
blooming  roses  upon  his  cross. 


A Ijihabftiral  Eist  af  thr  Horfca 

Important  Notice. 

The  Index  is  arranged  with  particular  view  to  facilitate 
topical  study,  but  at  the  same  time  alphabetical  order  has 
been  adhered  to  as  nearly  as  possible.  We  add  an  alpha- 
betical list  of  the  words  indexed. 

Opposite  each  word  in  this  list  will  be  found  a  number, 
which  refers  to  a  page  in  the  Index.  On  that  page  the 
word  is  grouped  with  others  pertaining  to  the  same  topic. 

The  student  is  particularly  requested  to  note  the  con- 
secutive arrangement  of  references.  For  instance,  under 
the  heading,  "Vital  Body"  the  first  reference  tells  where 
that  vehicle  had  its  first  inception,  the  last  directs  to  a  page 
whicty  treats  of  its  final  spiritualization,  and  the  inter- 
vening references  point  in  orderly  succession  to  the  places 
where  its  gradual  unfoldment  is  described.  These  refer- 
ences, in  themselves,  form  an  excellent  syllabus  of  the 
vital  body. 

By  diligent  and  intelligent  use  of  this  index  the  Rosi- 
crucian  Cosmo  Conception  will  be  found  a  most  complete 
and  exhaustive  reference  library,  and  we  recommend 
students  to  study  the  index  as  much  as  the  book.  The 


540 


ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 


mere  reading  of  references  will  often  clear  comprehension 
of  a  subject  and  reveal  much  that  is  hidden  in  a  general 
reading  of  the  book. 


Page 

Adaptability    543 

Adept     543 

Adoration     568 

Akkadian    Race 596 

Animals 533-543 

Anaesthetics    544 

Angels  551-553 

Archangels    551-553 

Archetypes     544 

Aryan  Epoch 597 

Atlantean    Epoch 596 

Attraction    590 

Atoms    544 

Assimilation    562 

Astrology   544 

B 

Bible  Texts 544 

Birth    564 

Blood     559 

Brain    561 

Brotherhood    546 

Borderland    566 

C  - 

Celibacy   577 

Christian   Doctrines 546 

Christ    548 

Cherubim    550 

Chemical   Ether 589 

Chosen  People 596-597 

Children    557 

Clairvoyance    568 

Causation;   Law  of 569 

Color    548 

Conscience    546 

Consciousness    547 

Conception    564 

Creator    546 

<  'remation     565 

Crime    548 

Cross     548 

Creative   Hierarchies 548 

Cosmic  Night  or  Chaos ....  594 


Page 

Contemplation    568 

Concentration    567 

D 

Death    564 

Decay    565 

Desire   554 

Dense   Body 558 

Desire    Body 572 

Desire  World 590 

Destiny 555 

Digestion    562 

Disease    554 

Discrimination    567 

Doctrines    Christian 546 

Drowning    554 

Dreams    554 

Drunkard    554 

Divine  Spirit 576 

E 

Ear   559 

Earth    583 

Earth   Period 592 

Ego   575 

Elements    554 

Elementals     554 

Epochs    594 

Epigenesis    569 

Equinox;    Precession 579 

Excretion    562 

Exercises    567 

Ether    589-590 

Evil  554 

Evolution   568 

Eye   559 

F 

Faith    554 

Feeling    5o4 

Fertilization    55."i 

Food     v 555 

Free-will 55." 

Form    5.1I) 

Forgiveness  of  Sin 55." 

Forces    555 

Father;    the..... 548 


LIST  OF  WOBDS  INDEXED 


541 


G 


Page 


Genius    556 

Glands    560 

God   548 

Good   556 

Group  Spirit   552 

H 

Heart    560 

Haemolysis    559 

Heaven    566 

Heredity    570 

Holy  Spirit 549 

Humanity    557 

Human  Organism 558 

Human  Spirit 576 

Hierarchies;    Creative 548 

Hyperborean    Epoch 595 

Hypnotism  556 

I 

Ideas    566 

Individuality    566 

Initiation     567 

Instinct    566 

Intuition    566 

Information    566 

Involution    568 

Innocence    566 

Interest    590 

Indifference 590 

Illustrations     585 

Imagination     566 

Immortality     566 

Jehovah    549 

Jupiter  582 

Jupiter    Period 593 

Jews    597 

K 

Knowledge 569 

Kingdoms    569 

L 

Law  of  Causation 569 

Law  of  Rebirth 570 

Life     563 

Life-waves   553 

Lucifer    551 

Lamentations    569 

Light  Ether 590 


Page 

Life    Ether -.-.-...  589 

Lungs    560 

Larynx    561 

Liver 560 

Lemurian  Epoch 595 

Lemurian   Eace 596 

Life  Spirit 576 

Lords  of  Flame 549 

Lords  of  Wisdom 550 

Lords  of  Individuality 550 

Lords  of  Form 550 

Lords  of   Mind 551-553 

M 

Man    (visible) 557 

Man    (invisible) 570 

Marriage    576 

Matter 585 

Materialization   577 

Mathematics    577 

Materialism   577 

Mars   583 

Mediums     577 

Meditation    567 

Memory    577 

Memory  of  Nature 578 

Menstruation     578 

Mercury    583 

Mind  574 

Mind;   Lords  of 551-553 

Mineral 578 

Microbes    578 

Missionary   578 

Moons    582 

Moon  Period 592 

Mongolians    596 

Music    578 

Muscles    560 

Mystery   Schools 567 

N 

N-rays   578 

Nebular   Theory 578 

Neptune  583 

Nerves 561 

New   Jerusalem . . , 579 

New  Life  Waves 552 

O 

Observation     567 

Organism ;    human 558 


542 


EOSICKUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 


Page 

Original    Semitic 596 

Original  Turanian 596 

Osmosis     579 

P 

Panorama    of   Life 565 

Pain 579 

Patriotism    579 

Periods;    the  seven 591 

Philosopher 's  Stone 579 

Physical  World 589 

Pilgrimage  through  matter  579 

Pituitary    Body 560 

Pineal    Gland...- 560 

Plants    553-579 

Planets  582 

Polarian    Epoch 594 

Poems 580 

Prayer    579 

Precession  of  Equinox. ...  579 
Purgatory 565 

R 

Races    596 

Eace    Spirits 551-553 

Eeligion    580 

Eemorse    554 

Eepulsion  590 

Season    580 

Eebirth ;   Law  of 570 

Reflecting  Ether 590 

Recapitulation     594 

Eevolutions    594 

Eecording    Angels 580 

Regions   589-591 

Retrospection    567 

Ribs    562 

Rmoahal  Race 596 

Rosicrucians    581 

S 

Salvation    581 

Saturn  Period 591 

Scepticism    554 

Seedatom    562 

Sense   Perception 581 

Sex    561 

Silver   Cord 565 

Skeleton   562 

Sleep  581 

Space    585 

Spirit    585 


Page 

Spirit  (Group) 552 

Spirit    (Human) 576 

Spirit     (Holy) 549 

Spirit  (7  before  Throne)..  548 

Stories    585 

Stones  584 

Stone;  Philosopher's.  ...'..  579 

Seraphim    550 

Solar  System 581 

Soul     584 

Sound    584 

Son;    the 548 

Spleen    560 

Stragglers    552 

Sun ;  the 582 

Sun   Period 591 

Supreme  Being 548 

Suicide    565 

Sin ;   Forgiveness  of 555 

T 

Tears    578 

Temperament    587 

Temptation    587 

Thought    587 

Thymus   Gland 560 

Tlavatli   Race 596 

Toltec  Race 596 

Turanian  Race 596 

Trance    587 

Transmigration 587 

Trinity   548 

V 

Venus   583 

Venus  Period 593 

Vesuvius 588 

Virtue 588 

Vitality   -. 588 

Vital   Body 570 

Virgin   Spirits 551-553 

Vulcan.    Period 594 

W 

War  588 

Will  ...„ 588 

Wisdom    588 

Women   557 

World-Soul   588 

Worlds    589 

World    Periods 591 

Word    w  588 


Snbex 


PAGE 

ADAPTABILITY  ;  of  supreme  importance 223 

ADEPT;  One  who  has  passed  the  9  degrees  of  the  lesser  Mys- 
teries and  the  first  of  the  Great  Initiations 475, 502 

ANIMALS. 

Animals    started   evolution    in    the    Sun    Period,    became 

human  in  Jupiter  Period 70,  224 

Why  some  have  cold  and  others  warm  blood 37 

Why  their  color  often  changes  with  the  seasons 37 

Animals  compared  with  man 57 

Why  animals  do  not  really  think 59,  70 

Desirebody  of  cold  and  warm-blooded  animals  differently 

constituted    68,  69 

The  present  animals  are  more  developed  than  we  were 

during  our  animal  stage 69 

How  animals  think  though  lacking  mind 70 

Animal  group  spirit  located  in  Desireworld 77 

Why  desire  and  vital  bodies  of  animals  are  not  concentric 

with  dense  body 77 

Animal  prodigies 77,  293 

Why  animals  are  clairvoyant 77 

Relation  of  groupspirit  to  animals  illustrated 78,  82 

When  hurt  animals  do  not  suffer  as  much  as  group  spirit.     78 

What  instinct  really  is 78 

Groupspirit  governs  the  animals  by  suggestion 83, 350 

Horizontal  limb  of  cross  symbolizes  animal  kingdom 86 

Bereft  of  vital  body  at  death 100 

Archangels  work  in  animals '  desirebodies 222 

Angels  work  in  their  vital  bodies 222 

Anthropoids  belong  to  human  lifewave 230,  235 

The  missing  link 341 

Lemurian's  Word  gave  him  power  over  animals 275, 281 

Horse 's  head  and  vital  body  not  concentric 293 

x  543 


544  ROSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PACK 

Haemolysis;  the  destruction  of  blood  corpuscles 356 

Why  hybrids  cannot  mate 357 

Groupspirit  withholds  seed  atom  from  eggs  pending  favor- 
able conditions   461 

ANESTHETICS  ;  their  effect  on  the  vital  body 62 

ASTROLOGY;  spiritually  based  in  the  Law  of  Causation 161 

ATOMS;  How  vital  body  accelerates  their  vibratory  rate 61 

ARCHETYPES. 

Not  merely  models,  but  living  things 49 

Archetype    of    suicide's    body    persists    after    death    and 

causes  him  suffering 10  t 

BIBLE  TEXTS  AND  TEACHINGS. 

Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom,  etc 5,  223 

The  truth  shall  make  you  free 23 

In  whom  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being 87,  179 

Whatsoever  a  man  soweth  that  also  shall  he  reap 106 

Falling  of  the  walls  of  Jericho 122 

Misunderstanding  concerning  the  plan  of  salvation.  . .  .151,  223 

Changing  water  to  wine 159 

Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar,  etc 158 

Christ  said  of  the  Baptist:  This  IS  Elijah 169 

Who  did  sin,  this  man  or  his  parents? 170 

Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  gods? 171 

The  Seven  Spirits  before  the  Throne 180,  252 

The  Word  made  flesh 181 

Their  eyes  were  opened  and  they  saw  they  were  naked. . .   190 

Everlasting  Salvation  and  Damnation 224,  229 

I  die  daily  (Paul) 249 

Adam  Tcnew  Eve  and  she  bore  Seth 277 

The  tree  of  .Knowledge 278 

The  tree  of  Life 363 

How  shall  I  conceive,  I  Know  not  a  man  (Mary) 278 

Why  the  Angel  said:  In  pain  shalt  thou  bear  children 278 

Why  foreign  missions  are  a  mistake 308 

The  sons  of  God  married  the  daughters  of  men 310,  335 

Location  of  the  promised  land 310,  335 

The  "lost"  tribes 310,313 

Chosen  people — past  and  future 298,  305,  311,  334 

A  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth .   313 


INDEX  545 

PAGE 

How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great  a  salvation. . .  315 

Translation  of  the  Bible  discussed 317 

Bible  not  intended  as  an  "open  book" 319,322 

Paul  asserts  allegorical  signification  of  Bible,  he  and 

Christ  gave  deeper  teachings  to  a  few 320 

The  Greek  Septuagint;  the  Talmud  and  the  transcription 

of  the  Masoretes 536 

A  fallacious  standard  of  Truth 321 

Two  renderings  of  the  opening  sentence  in  Genesis  and 

how  each  complements  the  other 321 

According  to  the  Bible  the  Earth  was  formed  from  the 

' '  everexisting  essence, ' '  not  from  ' '  nothing  " 322 

Nebular  theory  proves  Gods  creative  and  sustaining 

energy 129,  323 

The  dual  Creative  force 324 

The  7  Creative  Hierarchies 325 

Why  Genesis  does  not  mention  Cherubim  and  Seraphim. . .  326 

The  Saturn  Period 327 

The  Sun  Period;  how  it  is  scientifically  possible  to  have 

light  ere  sun  and  moon  were  created 328 

The  Moon  Period;  its  atmosphere  of  ' '  firef og " 328 

The  Earth  Period  and  Kecapitulations 329 

The  Polarian  Epoch;  the  Hyperborean  Epoch 330 

The  Creation  of  the  Sun 330 

Expelling  the  Moon  from  the  Earth 331 

The  Lemurian  Epoch 331 

"Form,"  not  "Life,"  created 332 

Atlantean  Epoch;  "nephesh"  an  important  word 332 

Aryan  Epoch;  the  Elohim  rest  and  man's  work  begins. . . .  333 

Jehovah,  leader  of  Angels  and  Regent  of  the  Moon 333 

Jehovah  is  builder  of  "Form";  giver  of  children 334 

The  wilderness;  the  rebel  Jews 335 

Involution,  Evolution  and  Epigenesis 336 

How  the  two  Creation  stories  of  Bible  harmonize 344 

Jehovah  blew  nephesh:  breath  into  Adam's  nostrils  and 

Adam  became  nephesh  chayim:  breathing  creatures..  345 

Occult  effect  of  this  inbreathing 348,  350 

The  soul  (not  merely  the  "life")  of  all  flesh  is  in  the 

blood   .  .  349 


546  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

The  seed  of  Abraham 351 

Before  Abraham  was  I  am 352 

How  and  why  the  Lucifer  Spirits  spoke  to  woman 361 

Atonement  of  Christ  and  Forgiveness  of  sins  complement 

the  Law  of  Causation 373,  401 

Jesus,  Christ,  the  only  begotten,  not  one  but  three 374 

.  On  earth  peace ;  good  will  among  men 387 

I  came  not  to  bring  peace,  but  a  sword 383 

An  eye  for  an  eye 384 

Return  good  for  evil 393 

As  a  man  thinketh  in  his  heart 398 

Why  Christ 's  mission  required  a  violent  ending 406,  408 

The  Cleansing  Blood  (chapter) 406 

Darkness  and  rending  of  the  temple  veil 407 

BROTHERHOOD. 

Atlanteans    evolved    cunning,    we    Aryans    are    evolving 

reason,  in  future  New  Galileans  will  cultivate  love. . .  311 
One  groupspirit  controlled  humanity  during  the  earliest 

epochs 348 

That  was  composed  of  all  the  Creative  Hierarchies 351 

Jehovah  segregated  humanity  into  nations  and  races 352 

Christ  came  to  reunite  them  into  a  Brotherhood 352 

Why  Christ  is  the  only  Being  who  can  do  that 380 

CHRISTIAN  DOCTRINES. 

The  Creation 317 

The  Fall 277,  278,  361 

Salvation  and  Damnation 224,  229 

The  Immaculate  Conception 378,  390 

The  Atonement 400 

The  Cleansing  Blood 406 

Forgiveness  of  Sin 91,  111,  373 

The  Trinity 87.  229,  253 

CONSCIENCE. 

Conscience     is     the     fruitage    of     previous     purgatorial 

existences   120 

How  conscience  battles  with  desire 89 

CREATOR. 

Nebular  theory  predicates  a  creator 823 

Creator  of  Universe  a  logical  necessity 129 


INDEX  547 

PAGE 

How  we  learn  to  become  Creators 128,  338 

Man 's  desire  to  create  caused  the  Fall 361 

CONSCIOUSNESS. 

Consciousness  of  the  four  Kingdoms,  with  diagram 73,  74 

Consciousness  of  animals  described 83 

Effect  of  the  skeleton  on  consciousness 456 

Consciousness  of  minerals  and  plants  described. 85 

How  soul-growth  enlarges  the  consciousness 96 

Evolution    of    consciousness,    Ariadne's    thread    through 

maze  of  ' '  Worlds, "  "  Periods, "  "  Globes,  "etc 201 

Why  Pythagoras  made  knowledge  of  mathematics  a  pre- 
requisite to  occult  teaching 203 

Vehicles  and  consciousness  of  man  in  Saturn  Period  like 

those  of  present  mineral 212 

Vehicles  and  consciousness  plantlike  in  Sun  Period 213 

Vehicles  and  consciousness  of  man  like  the  lower  Animals 

during  the  Moon  Period 217 

Tabular  description  of  consciousness  in  past  and  future 

Periods   421 

Our  present  consciousness  results  from  the  war  between 

the  desire  body  and  the  vital  body 455 

Involution:  from  devine  All-consciousness  to  human  self- 

consciousness   80,  216 

Polarian  Epoch;  trance  consciousness  like  Saturn,  Hyper- 
borean Epoch  deep  sleep  like  in  Sun  Period 263 

Torture   used  in   Lemuria   to   waken  consciousness   to   a 

dreamy  state  279 

Our  present  waking  consciousness  dates  from  the  middle 

of  Atlantis  when  "mist"  cleared • 300 

How  marriage  in  the  family  produced  the  tie  of  blood  by 

generating  common  consciousness 354,  397 

How  intertribal  marriages  has  destroyed  "second  sight" 

or  clairvoyance 355 

Internal  and  external  skeleton  as  factors  in  consciousness.  456 

The  four  causes  of  our  materialistic  ideas 359 

How  sin  and  its  consequent  pain  has  awakened  and  is 

sharpening  our  consciousness 362 

How  our  consciousness  will  be  expanded 417 

The  Consciousness  of  the  Jupiter  Period 418 


548  BOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

The  Consciousness  of  the  Venus  Period 419 

The  Consciousness  of  the  Vulcan  Period 421 

COLOR. 

Illustrative  of  the  "Trinity" 253 

Why  changeable  in  animals  at  different  seasons 37 

CRIME;  crimes  \ve  ignorantly  commit  against  the  flying 101 

CROSS. 

The  cross  is  symbolical  of  the  life  currents  vitalizing  the 

bodies  of  plant,  animal  and  man 85 

Cross  symbolical  of  man 's  past  evolution,  present  consti- 
tution and  future  development 516 

CREATIVE  HIERARCHIES  AND  OTHER  LIFE  WAVES. 
THE  SUPREME  BEING. 

The  Supreme  Being  is  the  architect  of  the  whole  Uni- 
verse ;  vastly  exalted  above  our  solar  God 179 

The  Supreme  Being  images  the  Universe  prior  to  creation 

and  dissolves  it  when  it  has  served  its  purpose 375 

The  WORD  made  flesh 181 

GOD. 

God  is  the  Creator  and  sustainer  of  solar  system 179 

The  logical  necessity  of  a  creator  and  sustainer  of  the 

worlds   129,  323 

God  is  an  expression  of  the  positive  pole  of  the  Universal 

Spirit  (matter  is  negative  pole) 185 

God  is  a  composite  Being 183,  253 

The  Sun  is  the  visible  symbol  of  God 181 

The  Father  is  highest  Initiate  of  Saturn  Period 376 

The  Son:  Christ,  is  highest  Initiate  of  Sun  Period 376 

The  Holy  Spirit  (Jehovah)  is  highest  Initiate  of  Moon 

Period 376 

Purpose  of  the  Jehovistic  Race  religions 352, 433,  435 

Purpose  of  the  Christian  religion 352,  433,  435 

Purpose  of  the  coming  religion  of  the  Father 435 

THE  SEVEN  SPIRITS  BEFORE  THE  THRONE. 

Collectively  they  are  God 252-3 

Individually  they  are  Regents  of  the  planets 180 

CHRIST. 

Christ  is  highest  Initiate  of  Sun  Period 376 


INDEX  549 

PAGE 

The  Christ  became  Regent  of  Earth  at  Golgotha 407 

The  Immaculate  Conception 378 

Why  Christ  used  the  dense  and  vital  body  of  Jesus.. 128, 378, 380 
Why  Christ  is  unique  among  all  Beings,  celestial  or  ter- 
restrial, and  alone  able  to  reunite  mankind 380, 382 

Jesus '  body  attuned  to  Christ  vibrations 382 

Atonement   does  not  vitiate  the  law  of   Causation;    nor 

does  doctrine  of  remission  of  sins 373,  401 

Salvation    illustrated 402 

Why  Christ  said  "not  peace  but  a  sword" 389 

Why  the  death  of  Christ  was  violent 405 

The  wounds  of  Christ,  of  esoteric  significance 406 

How  the  sin  of  the  world  was  taken  away 408 

I       The  purpose  of  the  Christian  Religion 433,  435 

Jehovah    segregated    mankind    into    nations    and    races. 

Christ  will  reunite  them  in  Brotherhood 352 

The  special  mission  of  Christ 401,  405 

JEHOVAH  (Holy  Spirit). 

Prior  to  Jehovah's  regime  a  common  groupspirit  ruled 

mankind   351 

Jehovah  is  highest  Initiate  of  the  Moon  Period 376 

He  is  leader  of  Angels  and  Regent  of  all  moons,  ours 

included    333 

Why  some  Archangels  (who  are  sun  spirits)  help  Jehovah, 

the  lunar  God 404 

Jehovah  built  hard  bony  structure  in  early  Lemuria. .  346 

He  blew  in  the  breath:  nephesh,  and  men  became  nephesh 

chayim :  breathing  creatures 345 

He  separated  the  sexes 347 

Jehovah  and  the  Archangels  divided  mankind  into  nations 

and   races,  appointing  a   Guardian   Angel   for  each 

Ego 347,  352 

Jehovah  and  Archangels  work  in  desirebody  by  "Law," 

fear  of  God  is  pitted  against  desire  of  flesh 395 

Purpose  of  the  Jehovistic  Race  religions 433,  435 

Why  Race  religions  are  insufficient  to  meet  human  needs.  383 
LORDS  OF  FLAME. 

Are  brilliantly  luminous;  called  "Thrones"  in  Bible 206 


550  KOSICKUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

They  gave  germ  of  dense  body  and  awakened  divine  spirit 

of  man-in-the-making 207 

Lords  of  Flame  aided  Virgin  Spirits  to  penetrate  first  veil 

of  matter 216 

They  helped  Lords  of  Wisdom  reconstruct  dense  body. ...  211 
Lords  of  Flame  help  link  divine  spirit  and  life  spirit.  ..  .  212 
They  helped  Lords  of  Individuality  link  divine  spirit  and 

human  spirit 216 

Lords  of  Flame,  Cherubim  and  Seraphim  leave  our  system .  220 
CHERUBIM. 

Awaken  life  spirit  of  man-in-the-making 212 

Aid  spirit  penetrate  second  veil  of  matter 216 

Cherubim  help  Lords  of  Individuality  link  human  spirit  to 

life  spirit 215 

Lords  of  Flame,  Cherubim  and  Seraphim  leave  our  .evo- 
lution    220 

Why  Cherubim  and  Seraphim  are  not  mentioned  in  the 

Creation  story  of  Bible 326 

SERAPHIM. 

Awaken  human  spirit  (the  Ego)  in  man-in-the-making 215 

They  leave  our  evolution 326 

LORDS  OF  WISDOM. 

They  had  charge  of  material  evolution   in   Sun  Period, 

they  helped  Lords  of  Flame  reconstruct  dense  body. . .  211 

They  gave  germ  of  vital  body  to  man-in-the-making 211 

They  helped  Lords  of  Flame  link  divine  spirit  to  life  spirit  214 
Lords  of  Individuality  help  Lords  of  Wisdom  reconstruct 

dense  body,  giving  germ  of  skeleton,  muscle 214 

Lords  of  Wisdom  now  in  charge  of  divine  spirit 220 

LORDS  OF  INDIVIDUALITY. 

They  had  charge  of  material  evolution  in  Moon  Period,  ' 

and  helped  reconstruct  dense  body 214 

They  gave  germ  of  desire  body 215 

They  have  charge  of  life  spirit  now 220 

LORDS  OF  FORM. 

They  have  charge  of  material  evolution  now 240 

Also  of  human  spirit,  the  Ego 220 

They  reconstruct  dense  body,  giving  germ  of  brain. .....  339 

Help  Angels  reconstruct  vital  body 240 


INDEX  551 

PAGE 

Help  man  build  dense  body  in  Polarian  Epoch 261 

Vivified  human  spirit  in  many  Moon  Stragglers 266 

Those  stragglers  remained  mindless,  however 266 

LORDS  OF  MIND. 

They  were  human  in  the  Saturn  period,  are  expert  mind- 
builders  and  work  only  with  man 222,  243 

They  also  help  man  build  higher  desire  body 265 

The  Father  is  highest  Initiate  among  Lords  of  Mind. . ..  376 

ARCHANGELS. 

They  were  human  in  Sun  Period,  are  expert  builders  in 

desire  bodies,  work  with  animal  and  man 222,  349 

The  Son,  Christ,  is  highest  Initiate  Archangel 376 

Archangels  work  in  lower  part  of  desirebody 243 

They  helped  man  build  his  desirebody  in  Lemur ia 265 

During  heavenlife  they  teach  him  to  reconstruct  the  earth.   126 

ANGELS. 

They  were  human  in  Moon  Period;  are  expert  builders  of 

vital  body,  work  with  plant,  animal  and  man 222, 349 

A  Guardian  Angel  was  appointed  for  each  Ego 252 

The  Holy  Spirit,  Jehovah,  is  their  highest  Initiate 376 

Angels  and  Lords  of  Form  clothe  man  in  vital  body 263 

The  vital  body  is  their  normal  vehicle,  they  are  double 

sexed  and  without  brain 285 

Angels  directed  man's  propagation  in  harmony  with  stars, 

then  parturition  was  painless 283 

LUCIFER  SPIRITS. 

They  were  stragglers  of  the  life  wave  of  Angels 286 

They  are  called  serpents 288 

How  and  why  they  spoke  to  the  woman 287, 361 

VIRGIN  SPIRITS  (our  human  Life  wave). 

Whence  we  came  and  why  pilgrimage  through  matter  was 

undertaken   87 

Our  varying  grades  of  unconsciousness  during  Involution, 

attainment  of  self-consciousness 189,  201 

The  descent  of  spirit  marks  the  ascent  of  form  and  both 

streams  coalesce  in  the  focusing  mind 266 

Their  evolution  depends  upon  adaptability 223 

Their  future  development 417 


552  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

STRAGGLERS  AND  NEWCOMERS. 

Some   of   our   life   wave    proved   unadaptable    in    Saturn 
Period,  they  formed  dark  spots  on  the  luminous  Sun 

globe   225 

More  straggled  in  siith  revolution  of  Sun  Period 225 

Some  Saturn  stragglers  were  promoted  in  seventh  revolu- 
tion of  the  Sun  Period 225 

Some  from  the  animal  life  wave  straggled  in  Sun  Period. .   225 

List  of  classes  at  beginning  of  Moon  Period 226 

More  spirits  of  our  life  wave  straggled  in  fifth  revolution 

of  the  Moon  Period.     Cherubim  promoted  some 229 

When  there  are  no  more  stragglers  a  race  dies 341 

NEW  LIFE  WAVES  (behind  the  human  spirits). 

The  present  animals  started  evolution  in  Sun  Period 224 

The  present  plants  started  evolution  in  Moon  Period 226 

The  minerals  started  in  the  Earth  Period 230,  232 

GROUP  SPIRITS. 

A  guardian  spirit  governing  a  tribe  of  animals  or  plants 

from  without 72,  81 

Prior  to  the  advent  of  Jehovah  humanity  was  governed 

from  without  by  a  common  groupspirit 351 

Jehovah  and  his  Archangels  are  like  groupspirits,  for  they 

govern  the  nations 349 

Group  spirits  evolve  to  family  and  Race  spirits 82 

Groupspirit  of  plant  and  oviperous  animals  withhold  seed- 
atom  from  seed  and  egg,  pending  favorable  conditions  461 
Groupspirit  is  "a  jealous  god"  like  Jehovah;   it  abhors 

and  prevents  intermarriage  of  species 353,  357 

Instinct    is    suggestion    of    groupspirit    responded    to    by 

animal 78 

Groupspirit  suffers  when  an  animal  is  hurt 78 

Groupspirit  is   responsible   for   the   similar   traits,   tastes 
and  appearance  of  the  separate  plants  or  animals  in 

its  tribe 71 

Groupspirit  is  responsible  for  the  currents  which  flow  in- 
wards in  coldblooded  animals 69 

Outgoing  currents  in  the  desirebody  of  animals  are  gen- 
erated by  them,  not  by  groupspirit 69 


INDEX  553 

PAGE 
Animal  groupspirits  work  in  the  blood  by  means  of  the  air 

inspired    350 

Difference  between  a  groupspirit  and  a  human  Ego.. 78,  82,  350 
Diagram  showing  present  location  of  groupspirits 74 

LIFE  WAVES. 

(Which  reach  the  human  stage  in  our  system.) 
LORDS  or  MIND  (started  evolution  before  our  scheme). 

Became  human  in  the  Saturn  Period,  are  expert  mind- 
builders,  work  only  with  man  (who  was  mineral  in 

Saturn  Period) 222,  427 

The  Father  is  their  highest  Initiate 376 

They  became  Creative  Intelligences  in  Earth  Period....  243 
ARCHANGELS  (started  prior  to  our  scheme). 

Became  human  in  the  Sun  Period,  are  expert  builders  of 
coarse  desirestuff,  work  principally  with  animals 
(which  were  mineral  in  Sun  Period),  but  also  with 

man  222, 349, 427 

The  Son  (Christ)  is  their  highest  Initiate 376 

They  become  Creative  Intelligences  in  Jupiter  Period.... 
ANGELS  (started  prior  to  our  evolution). 

Became  human  in  Moon  Period,  are  expert  builders  of 
Ether.  Work  specially  with  plants  (which  were 

mineral  in  Moon  Period) 222,  349,  427 

Their  highest  Initiate  is  Jehovah,  the  Holy  Spirit 376 

They  become  Creative  Intelligences  in  Venus  Period 

VIRGIN  SPIRITS  (our  present  humanity). 

Started  evolution  as  mineral  in  Saturn  Period 205 

Became  human  in  the  Earth  Period.  We  are  now  becom- 
ing expert  builders  of  Form  from  chemical  mineral 

substance 426 

In  the  Jupiter  Periods  we  shall  vitalize  the  forms 428 

In  the  Venus  Period  we  shall  give  them  feeling 428 

In  the  Vulcan  Period  we  shall  become  Creative  Intelli- 
gences and  give  the  forms  a  mind 428 

ANIMALS  started  evolution  in  Sun  Period,  become  human  in 

Jupiter  Period 70,  224 

PLANTS  started  evolution  in  Moon  Period,  become  human  in 

Venus  Period 226 


554  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

MINERALS  started  evolution  in  Earth  Period,  become  human  in 

Vulcan  Period . .  .230,  232 

DESIRE. 

Desire  for  prolonged  earth-life  makes  the  spirit  earth- 
bound  amid  unpleasant  surroundings 103 

How  conscience  battles  with  desire 89 

Archetypes  of  desires,  feelings  and  emotions 50 

DISEASE. 

Why  complications  set  in  when  a  person  is  sick 64 

Why  pain  is  felt  in  a  limb  subsequent  to  the  time  of 

amputation 64 

A  spiritual  cause  of  paralysis -, 63 

A  spiritual  cause  of  consumption  and  rachitis 113 

Haemolysis  (destruction  of  blood  corpuscles;  see  Human 

Organism). 
Nostalgia   (homesickness) ;  how  engendered  by  the  Race 

Spirit 351 

DREAMS. 

The  cause  of  dreams,  and  why  mostly  confused 94 

Dreamlike    internal    picture    consciousness    of    animals 

rational  because  engendered  by  groupspirit 217 

DRUNKARD  ;  how  purged  in  Purgatory 105 

DROWNING;  why  drowning  persons  see  past  life  in  a  flash. ...     61 
ELEMENTS. 

In  Saturn  Period   there  was  only   one  element:    heat — 

incipient   fire 234 

In  Sun  Period  there  was  fire  and  air;  in  Moon  Period  fire, 

air,  water.    Here  we  have  four  elements 234 

A  new  element  will  be  added  in  the  Jupiter  Period 234 

ELEMENTALS  or  naturespirits ;  help  build  our  bodies 126 

EVIL  ;  how  it  grows  and  is  destroyed 42-43 

FAITH. 

Childlike  faith  and  scepticism  compared 6 

FEELING. 

Distinct  from  mere  response  to  impacts. . .  .x. 32 

A  separate  desirebody  necessary  to  true  feeling 57 

Interest  and  Indifference;  the  twin  feelings  which  move 

the  world 45 

Remorse 47 


INDEX  555 

PAGE 

Archetypes  of  feeling 50 

Effect  of  sharp  purgatorial  pain  on  future  lives 109 

Mathematic  study  raises  us  above  feelings 203 

Pineal  gland  once  an  organ  of  feeling 262 

Feeling  was  awakened  by  torture  in  Lemur  ia 279 

Rhmoahals  developed  finer  feelings:  joy  and  sorrow,  pleas- 
ure and  pain,  etc 294 

Tlavatlis  developed  ambition 295 

FREEWILL  AND  DESTINY. 

Relative  freewill  of  mineral,  plant,  animal  and  man  com- 
pared    83 

All  evil  acts  in  life  at  least  are  voluntary 110 

Choice  regarding  place  of  Rebirth 129, 136 

Epigenesis  more  than  choice  of  action 135 

Original  Semites  the  first  to  be  given  freewill  and  made 

responsible  to  law  of  consequence 301 

Causes  when  ripened  to  maturity  become  destiny 136 

Mature  destiny  cannot  be  escaped  (story) 161 

The  stars :  the  clock  of  Destiny 163 

Poem  on  freewill  and  destiny 163 

Freewill  bought  at  cost  of  pain  and  death 288,  363 

FORGIVENESS  OF  SIN. 

Forgiveness  and  the  subconscious  mind 91 

How  it  shortens  or  eliminates  Purgatory Ill 

The    doctrines    of    Forgiveness    and    Atonement    do    not 

vitiate,  but  complement  the  Law  of  Causation 373 

FERTILIZATION. 

Depends  upon  presence  of  etheric  matrix  of  body  being 

present  in  mother's  womb  and  on  seedatom 137, 461 

Seedatom    withheld    by   groupspirit    when   animals    mate 

outside  their  species .-. 352 

FOOD. 

Why  one  man 's  meat  is  another 's  poison 84 

Food  as  a  factor  in  evolution 165 

The  science  of  nutrition  (chapter) 441 

Why  we  do  not  take  life  when  eating  plantseed  or  eggs. .  461 

The  law  of  assimilation  (chapter) ' 457 

FORCES. 

Laws  of  Nature  not  blind,  but  Great  Intelligences 49 


556  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Archetypal  Forces  and  the  inception  of  form 51 

Force  is  spirit  not  yet  crystallized  to  matter 120,  247 

Relation  of  force  and  matter  illustrated 121 

Attraction  and  Repulsion;  the  twin  forces,  and  how  they 

operate    46 

The  Bible  on  "dual  creative  energy" 324 

FORM. 

All  forms  are  built  of  one  basic  substance 31 

Forms   are   crystallized   space;    at   death   it   dissolves  to 

spirit  249, 186 

Relation  of  Life,  Form  and  Consciousness 223 

Reason  for  multiplicity  of  forms  and  their  decay 31 

All  form  devoid  of  true  feeling 31 

Wonderful  metamorphoses  of  forms  in  Desire  world 41 

Archetypes  of  form 50 

Archetypes  build  forms  by  sound 123 

Sound  the  builder  of  climate,  flora  and  fauna 125 

Form  and  life  merge  into  one  spirit  in  Chaos;  seedatoms 

of  worldglobes  alone  remain  intact 247 

Life  may,  and  does,  exist  independently  of  concrete  form.   248 

Forms  are  always  built  to  suit  conditions 255 

Man 's  past,  present  and  future  form 257 

How  pineal  gland  preserved  man's  form  from  destruc- 
tion by  fire  in  Lemuria 262 

Why  form  evolves  to  a  certain  point;   then  degenerates 

and  dies 289,  341,  343 

Jehovah,  the  builder  of  form  and  giver  of  children.  ..334,348 
Bible  story  of  Creation  refers  to  form :  Life  is  uncreate  332,  344 

Life  has  no  origin:  Forms  have 504 

GENIUS. 

Genius  and  epigenesis 185 

A  genius  builds  better  organism  from  parental  material 

than  others 138 

Heredity  cannot  account  for  genius 155 

Why  genius  is  ahead  of  its  time 161 

GOOD;  how  assimilated  by  the  spirit 21,  47,  96, 123,  417 

HYPNOTISM. 

How  hypnotism  and  anaesthetics  affect  vital  body 62 


INDEX  557 

HUMANITY  (topical). 

PAGE 

Humanity  compared  with  mineral,  plant  and  animal....     57 
Origin  of  our  faculties:  sense  perception,  locomotion  and 

thought    59 

Man  is  the  inverted  plant 86 

Seven  human  principles  as  correlated  to  five  worlds 88 

Man  is  a  3-fold  spirit  having  a  mind  by  which  he  governs 

a  3-fold  body  and  transmutes  it  to  soul 95 

Man  builds  in  heaven  the  body  he  uses  on  earth 128 

In    Hyperborean    Epoch    we    had    both    lunar    and    solar 

sexforce,  hence  we  were  hermaphrodites 268 

Why  nations  rise  and  fall 289 

Originally  humanity  were  governed  by  one  common  group- 
spirit   351 

Later  Jehovah  segregated  them  into  nations 352 

Original    Semites   first    to   be   given    freewill   and    made 

responsible  to  the  law  of  consequence 301 

Mission  of  Christ  to  reunite  the  races  as  Brothers 352 

The  four  steps  and  stages  in  Religion 302 

The  sixteen  paths  to  destruction 271,  306 

The  "missing  link" 341 

The  origin  of  Life 504 

MAN. 

Differently  educated  from  women  in  Lemuria 279 

Man  possesses  solar  sexforce  expressing  ' '  Will " 267 

Spermatozoa  an  expression  of  concentrated  will 284 

WOMAN. 

Why  subject  to  periodical  flow  and  tears 60 

Why  more  intuitive  than  man 92 

Woman  has  lunar  sexforce  which   expresses   itself  spir- 
itually as  ' '  Imagination  " 267 

How  woman  was  educated  in  Lemuria 279 

Woman  developed  memory  before  man 280 

Why  parturition  became  painful 283 

Imagination  builds  the  foetus 284 

How  and  why  Lucifer  spoke  to  the  woman 361 

CHILDREN. 

Childlike  faith  compared  to  scepticism 6 

Childlife  in  the  first  heaven 117 


558  BOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Birth  of  a  child  only  commenced  with  the  delivery  of  the 

dense  body 139 

Children  are  clairvoyant  and  have  invisible  playmates. . . .  140 

Do  not  manufacture  individual  blood  in  early  years 143 

Birth  of  the  vital  body  produces  growth 141 

Why  one  who  has  died  as  a  child  will  be  apt  to  remember 

that  life  in  its  next  embodiment 172 

Education  of  children  in  Lemuria 279,  361 

Education  of  children  in  early  Atlantis 296 

Children  are  clairvoyant  while  innocent 281 

Jehovah,   the   Kegent    of   the    Moon,    is   the    builder    of 

"form"  and  hence  the  giver  of  children 334 

HUMAN  ORGANISM  (topical). 

DENSE  BODY. 

A  dense  body  necessary  to  live  in  the  Physical  World ....     57 

What  determines  shape  of  dense  body 60 

Why  the  dense  body  is  our  most  valuable  instrument ....     76 

Dense  body  abandoned  at  death 97 

How  premature  loss  of  dense  body  causes  suffering  to 

suicide 104 

Archetype  of  dense  body  built  by  us  in  heaven 126 

Birth  of  dense  body 139 

Germinally  started  in  Saturn  Period  with  incipient  sense 

organs 206 

Reconstructed  in  Sun  Period.    Germination  of  alimentary 

canal  and  glands  commenced 211 

Reconstructed  in  Moon  Period.  Skeleton,  cartilage,  muscle 

and  nerves  begin  to  form 214 

Reconstructed  in  Earth  Period.    Then  brain  and  voluntary 

nerves  began  to  form 236,  239 

Wonderful  mechanism  of  dense  body 237 

Line  of  future  improvements 262 

"Point"  in  forehead  not  concentric  with  the  correspond- 
ing "point ' '  in  vital  body  in  Atlantis 293 

When  those  points  came  into  correspondence  clairvoyance 

was  lost 294 

The  keynote  of  the  dense  body. 369 


INDEX  559 

PAGE 

How  connection  between  dense  and  vital  bodies  has  be- 
come relaxed  since  Golgotha 482 

BLOOD. 

How  warm  and  coldblooded  animals  are  produced 37 

Difference  of  constitution  of  desirebody  in  cold  and  warm- 
blooded   animals 69 

Red  blood  requisite  to  a  separate  desirebody 69 

In  our  animal  stage  we  had  no  red  blood 69 

Incipient  blood  currents  started  in  Moon  Period 218 

Before  the  Ego  can  become  an  indwelling  spirit  it  must 

have  body  with  warm  blood  and  upright  larynx. .  .86,  236 

The  blood  is  the  direct  vehicle  of  the  Ego 91,  238, 350 

The  blood  is  the  carrier  of  feelings  and  emotions 91 

Children  do  not  manufacture  individual  blood 143 

Effects  upon  Ego  of  high  and  low  temperature 144 

Constancy    of    blood    temperature    more    marked    after 

21st   year 145 

Mars,  iron,  warm  blood  and  individuality 268,  274 

Why  Mars  prevented  evolution  of  warm  blood  in  the  first 

three  and  one-half  Earth-revolutions 274 

The  soul  of  all  flesh  is  in  the  blood 350 

Why  marriage  "in  the  clan"  gives  second  sight 353,397 

Why  mixing  blood  of  one  family  by  marriage  with  another 

family  kills  clairvoyance 355 

The  blood ;  the  highest  expression  of  vital  body 397 

Menstruation  and  tears 60 

In  each  cycle  the  blood  carries  a  picture  of  the  outside 

world  to  seedatom  in  heart 92,  398 

HAEMOLYSIS  (destruction  of  blood). 

Haemolysis  and  death  results  when  blood  of  higher  animal 

is  injected  in  lower 355 

Mating  of  different  species  causes  partial  haemolysis  with 

loss  of  propagating  faculty 357 

International   marriages   produce  haemolysis   which   kills 

second  sight  enjoyed  by  marrying  in  the  clan 358 

EAR. 

The  semicircular  canals  of  the  ear,  music  and  logic 126 

Ear  was  started  in  Saturn  Period 206 

EYE ;  the  eye  was  built  by  light 18,  276 


560  KOSICKUCTAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

The  so-called  ' '  third  eye ' '  was  organ  of  feeling 262 

LIVER. 

Desirebody  rooted  in  liver 68 

Groupspirit  directs  currents  inwards  in  cold-blooded  ani- 
mals.    Currents  well  out  in  mammals 69 

Liver  and  ' '  liver  " 69 

LUNGS;  the  place  of  ingress  for  the  groupspirit 345,  348,  350 

SPLEEN. 

Spleen  is  root  of  vital  body,  it  specializes  solar  energy. . .     63 

How  white  corpuscles  are  made 455 

GLANDS. 

Glands  and  alimentary  canal  started  in  Sun  Period 211 

Pineal  Gland  was  once  the  localized  seat  of  feeling 262 

Glands  are  expressions  of  the  vital  body 455 

THYMUS  GLAND;  supplies  parental  blood  to  child  in  infancy 

and  early  childhood 143 

PITUITARY  BODY;   latent  in  most  people,  it  is  an  organ  of 

clairvoyance   473 

PINEAL  GLAND. 

Once  a  localized  organ  of  feeling 262 

Now  an  organ  of  clairvoyance  when  developed 473 

HEART. 

Head  and  heart  figuratively  at  war 17,  393 

Silver  Cord   fastened  to  left  ventricle  of  heart   by  the 

seedatom  98 

Eupture  of  silver  cord  causes  heart  to  stop 98 

Heart,  though  an  involuntary  muscle,  is  cross-striped  like 

a  voluntary  muscle 396 

How  the  crossstripes  may  be   developed   and   the  heart 

control    body 399 

How  heart,  larynx  and  spinal  cord  become  path  of  sex- 
currents    477 

MUSCLES. 

How  manipulated  by  thoughts  of  Ego 89 

The  higher  part  of  desirebody  built  the  voluntary  nervous 

system   394 

Voluntary    muscles    striped    lengthwise    and    crosswise; 

involuntary  muscles  striped  lengthwise  only 396 

Muscles  the  particular  stronghold  of  desirebody '.  .   455 


INDEX  561 

PAGE 

NERVES. 

The  cause  of  paralysis 63 

Voluntary   nerves   started   in    Earth    Period,   sympathetic 

system  in  Moon  Period 239 

Higher  part  of  desirebody  built  voluntary  nerves 394 

Pneumogastric  nerve,   avenue  of   ingress   of   intuition  or 

' '  first    impressions  " 398 

Pneumogastric  nerve  is  avenue  of  egress  for  the  seedatom 

at    death 97 

BEAIX. 

How  the  Ego  manipulates  the  braincenters 89 

Building  of  brain  started  in  Lemuria 239 

Built  since  separation  of  sexes 267 

Half  the  sexforce  diverted  to  build  brain 269,  284 

Cost  of  the  faculty  of  thought 270 

Lemurian  girls  first  developed  memory 280 

Why  Lueifer  prompted  Lcmunans  to  use  the  generative 

force  independent  of  the  Angels 287 

How  Lucifer  spoke  to  the  woman 361 

LARYNX. 

Why  animals  cannot  speak 86 

A  horizontal  larynx  is  under  groupspirit 236 

Larynx,  the  highest  achievement  of  human  Ego 236 

Originally  the  larynx  was  part  of  the  sexorgan 269 

The  larynx  is  sustained  by  sexforce 269,  284 

The  larynx  will  eventually  supersede  the  sexorgans  and 

man  will  speak  the  (now  lost)  creative  WORD .. 364, 425 
Larynx,   heart   and   spinal   cord,   path   of   sexcurrent   in 

Initiates    478 

SEX. 

Change  of  boy's  voice  at  the  time  of  puberty.     Sex  is 

determined  by  forces  active  in  Life  Ether 36 

Sex  alternates  in  successive  births 160 

Will  and  Imagination  are  solar  and  lunar  sexforces 267 

When    Earth    was    united    with    sun    and    moon    in    the 

Hyperborean  Epoch  man  was  male-female 268-9 

When  Earth  separated  from  sun  and  moon  the  sexes  also 

separated    268 


562 

PAGE 

Sexforce  built  brain  and  larynx " 269 

When  Angels  regulated  sexrelation  in  harmony  with  stars 

parturition  was  painless 277 

When  Adam  knew  his  wife  indiscriminately,  "their  eyes 

were  opened;  "  then  pain  and  death  began 278,  283 

Spermatozoa  an  expression  of  male  sexf orce :  Will.   Imagi- 
nation, the  female  sexf  orce,  builds  foetus 284 

All  retain  one-half  of  sexforce  to  build  brain,  nervous 

system  and  larynx 284 

Selfish  motive  in  sex  and  thought  activities 285 

Lucifer  spirits  prompted  man  to  abuse  of  sex 287 

Adam's  "rib"  and  "side" 347 

The  beginning  and  the  end  of  sex 364 

SKELETON. 

Skeleton  soft  as  cartilage  till  crystallized  in  early  Le- 

muria  by  Jehovah's  lunar  forces 275, 346 

Comparison  of  the  effect  of  external  and  internal  skel- 
etons on  consciousness 456 

Hardening  of  bones  contributed  to  divide  sexes 275 

Skeleton  the  particular  stronghold  of  divine  spirit 397 

BIBS. 

Young  children  do  not  create  blood  from  bones 143 

Adam's    "rib" 347 

DIGESTION. 

Digestion  accomplished  through  the  aid  of  forces  in  the 

chemical   ether 35,  94, 143 

Manufacture  and  selection  of  gastric  juices 263 

Digestion  commenced  in  Hyperborean  Epoch  by  osmosis. .   263 

Alimentary  canal  started  in  Sun  Period 211 

How  digestion  is  affected  by  temper 456 

The  law  of  assimilation  (chapter) 457 

EXCRETION  ;  a  selective  elimination  of  waste 35 

SEEDATOM. 

The  seedatoms  have  formed  part  of  all  vehicles  ever  used 

by  one  particular  Ego 97 

Seedatom    of    dense   body    leaves    heart    just    after    last 

breath,  bearing  imprint  of  panorama  of  life 97 

Seedatom  of  dense  body  fastens  silver  cord  to  heart....     98 


INDEX  563 

PAGE 

Seedatom  of  vital  body  extracted  at  second  rupture  of 
silver  cord 103 

Seedatom  of  desirebody:  seat  of  conscience.  It  is  ex- 
tracted ere  spirit  leaves  desirebody  to  disintegrate. . .  120 

How  seedatom  of  mind  gathers  materials  for  the  mind  of 

a  new  life  prior  to  birth 133 

How  seedatom  of  desirebody  gathers  desirestuff  for  a 

new  desirebody 134 

How  seedatom  of  vital  body  gathers  new  ether 134 

How  the  etheric  mold  of  the  coming  dense  body  is  placed 

in  womb  of  mother  by  the  Lords  of  Destiny 137 

Seedatom  of  dense  body  placed  in  semen  of  father 137 

Seedatoms  of  World-globes  alone  persist  in  Chaos 247 

Seedatoms  of  plant  seed  or  eggs  withheld  by  groupspirit 

pending  favorable  conditions 461 

Seedatoms  of  animals  withheld  by  groupspirit  to  prevent 

mating  of  hybrids  or  mismating 357 

Outside  world  pictured  upon  seedatom  in  each  cycle  of 
the  blood 398 

LIFE  HEBE  AND  HEREAFTER  (topical). 

Lira  IN  GENEEAL. 

The  problem  of  life  and  death 19 

The  three  solutions  offered 148 

The  four  streams  of  life  ensouling  all  form 31 

Life  alone  can  feel ;  form  is  dead  and  unfeeling 32 

Life  Ether :  the  avenue  of  propagation 36 

Life  Ether  freed  at  age  of  14 143 

A  separate  vital  body  necessary  to  express  life 57 

The  four  Kingdoms  of  life  symbolized  in  the  cross 85 

The  value  of  a  life  largely  dependent  upon  conditions  at 

death  101 

Duration  of  life  in  Purgatory 107 

Life  in  the  First  Heaven 113 

Life  in  the  Second  Heaven 121 

Life  in  the  Third  Heaven 129 

The  purpose  of  life 131 

Life  a  school  of  experience 132 


5Gi  EOSICBUC1AN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

The  life  ensouling  man  entered  evolution  in  the  Saturn 

Period  205 

The  life  ensouling  the  animals  entered  evolution  in  the 

Sun  Period 224 

The  life  ensouling  the  plants  entered  evolution  in  the 

Moon  Period 226 

The  life  ensouling  the  mineral  entered  evolution  in  the 

Earth  Period 232 

The  relation  of  Life,  Form  and  Consciousness 80,  223 

Life  and  form  merge  in  Chaos,  leaving  only  seedatoms  of 

World-globes  intact. 247 

Life  may,  and  does,  exist  in  forms  intangible  to  us 248 

Life  always  builds  forms  to  suit  conditions 256 

Life  uncreate,  the  importance  of  the  word  nephesh 332 

First  Creation  story  of  Bible  deals  with  form,  the  second 

with  the  ensouling  life:  nephesh 344 

Nephesh  chayim :  breathing  creatures ;  not  living  souls . .  345 

Life  did  not  originate  anywhere,  at  any  time:  it  is 584 

Taking  life  for  food • 460 

Why  plant  seed  and  eggs  contain  no  life 461 

CONCEPTION. 

Conception  results  only  when  etheric  mold  of  a  body  and 

the  seedatom  are  present 137 

Ego  enters  mother's  womb  18  days  after  conception....   138 

BIRTH. 

Birth  is  the  result  of  Ego's  desire  for  experience. .'. 12? 

Birthplace  usually  chosen  by  Ego 136 

Birth  not  accomplished  when  dense  body  is  delivered ....   139 

Birth  of  vital  body  and  growth 141 

Birth  of  desire  body  and  puberty 142 

Birth  of  the  mind  and  maturity 143 

DEATH. 

The  problem  of  Life  and  Death 19 

How  death  is  robbed  of  its  terror 27 

Death  by  drowning  or  freezing 61 

Death  by  suicide  and  its  dreadful  consequences 104 

Death  by  accident  or  on  the  battlefield 118 

The  importance  of  peaceful  surroundings  at  death 109 


INDEX  565 

PAGE 

One  of  the  main  causes  of  infant  mortality 118 

People  who  have  died  sometimes  ignorant  of  that  fact 121 

Death  did  not  exist  till  latter  part  of  Lemuria 167,  278 

Premature  cremation  causes  departing  spirit  pain 98 

The  oftener  we  die,  the  better  we  shall  live 244,  363 

Death  of  form  gives  spirit  scope  for  advancement 249 

Our  liberty  purchased  at  cost  of  death  and  pain 363 

Degeneracy  and  death  of  races  and  nations 289 

DECAY;  an  activity  of  the  chemical  forces  in  matter 31 

Vital  and  dense  bodies  disintegrate  simultaneously 102 

CREMATION. 

Premature  incineration  pains  departing  Spirit 98 

SILVER  CORD. 

Silver  Cord  fastened  in  left  ventricle  of  heart  by  seed- 
atom.  Rupture  there  stops  heart 98 

Silver  Cord  not  broken  in  any  case  where  resuscitation  is 

accomplished  102 

Final  rupture  and  its  effect 102 

PANORAMA  OF  LIFE. 

Panorama    viewed    through    negative    pole    of    Reflecting 

Ether  just  subsequent  to  death 91, 101 

Panorama  is  of  varying  length — what  terminates  it 102 

Panorama  basis  of  pleasure  and  pain  beyond 108 

How  panorama  may  be  eradicated  by  remission  of  sin...   Ill 
Contrast  between  panorama  of  a  past  life  viewed  after 

death  and  a  coming  life  seen  prior  to  birth 130 

The  blood  in  each  cycle  through  heart  engraves  panorama 

on  seedatom 398 

PURGATORY. 

How  and  why  suicide  suffers  for  rash  act 104 

Why  post-mortem  existence  is  first  purgative 104 

How  the  miser  is  purged  of  avarice 104 

How  drunkard  is  purged  from  his  vice 105 

How  each  act  in  life  automatically  produces  its  just  re- 
ward or  retribution 107 

Duration  of  life  in  Purgatory 107 

How  we  may  escape  Purgatory Ill 


566  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Children  go  through  Purgatory  to  First  Heaven  at  once. .   117 
Conscience :  the  fruitage  of  Purgatory 119 

BORDERLAND;   a  pitiable  state  of  existence  between   Heaven 

and  Purgatory,  and  who  goes  there 112 

FIRST  HEAVEN. 

A  place  of  happiness,  the  measure  determined  by  our  own 

previous  benevolence  expressed  in  Panorama 114 

The  ethics  of  true  benevolence 115 

SECOND  HEAVEN. 

This  is  the  realm  of  tone 122 

Assimilation  of  soulpower  generated  in  past  life 123 

Preparation  for  new  earth-life 124 

Building  new  environment  and  new  body 125, 128 

THIRD  HEAVEN. 

Panorama  of  a  new  life  as  chosen  by  Ego 129 

IDEAS. 

Set  ideas  detrimental  to  investigation;  great  importance 

of  adaptability 5,  223 

IMMORTALITY;  why  it  would  be  most  undesirable  at  present. .  363 

INDIVIDUALITY. 

Of  man  compared  to  animals 71 

"  I "  consciousness  of  children  and  the  thymus  gland ....   143 

Birth  of  Individuality  (chapter) 266 

Mars,  iron,  red  blood  and  individuality 268,  274 

Christ  preached  cultivation  of  Individuality 352 

INFORMATION;  source  of  the  author's  information 8 

INNOCENCE,  is  not  virtue 282 

IMAGINATION. 

Imagination   is  the  spiritual   expression   of   the   female, 

lunar  sexforce.     (Will  is  male  and  solar) 267 

Imagination  the  formative  force  in  creation 324,  425 

INSTINCT. 

Instinct  an  expression  of  wisdom  of  groupspirit 78 

Why   man's  unwisdom   is  superior   to    infallible   animal 

instinct   79 

INTUITION. 

What  it  is,  and  why  most  noticeable  in  women 92 


INDEX  .       567 

INITIATION  AND  ITS  RESULTS  (topical). 

INITIATION.  PAGB 

Initiation  described  and  defined 519 

Enables  man  to  build  body  consciously  during  antenatal 

life    128, 138 

Value  of  mathematics  in  process  of  attainment 203 

Lemurian  kings  initiated  by  Lords  of  Mercury 272-3 

Initiation  will  enable  man  to  leave  body  at  will 274 

Lemurian  initiators  taught  art  and  science 281 

Human  Initiates  have  had  entire  charge  of  our  evolution 

since  the  beginning  of  the  Aryan  Epoch 304 

At  end  of  Aryan  Epoch  highest  Initiate  will  appear  pub- 
licly as  leader  of  those  who  want  him 305 

Jesus'  body  attuned  to  Christvibrations  by  initiation....  382 

Initiation  under  the  Christ-star 391 

How  to  know  an  Initiate 68,  400 

Initiation  open  to  chosen  few  only,  before  Christ 404. 

Why  it  is  now  open  to  ' '  whosoever  will " 404,  482 

The  Seven  Days  of  Creation  and  Initiation 412 

How  Initiation  will  expand  our  consciousness 417 

Consciousness  of  the  Jupiter  Period 418 

Consciousness  of  Venus  Period 419 

Spirals  within  spirals  of  attainment* 4'JO 

Schematic  list  of  Periods  and  consciousness 421 

Why  probation  must  precede  Initiation 478,  519 

Initiation  of  the  Rose  Cross 519 

The  necessity  of  training. 25, 41, 480 

The  bridge  to  the  unseen  worlds 476 

MYSTERY  SCHOOLS;  septenary  division  of. 

The  Rosicrucian  method  of  preparation 439 

EXERCISES. 

Retrospection,  a  review  of  the  day 's  events Ill 

Concentration;  its  similarity  to,  and  its  difference  from 

sleep 483 

The  best  time  to  concentrate 485 

Concentration  (chapter) 486 

Meditation  (chapter) 489 

Observation    492 

Discrimination 493 


568  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Contemplation    (chapter) 494 

Adoration    (chapter) 495 

CLAIRVOYANCE. 

Clairvoyance  is  a  faculty  immanent  in  all 19 

Value  of  testimony  to  superphysical  truths  clairvoyantly 

obtained    20 

The  necessity  and  the  results  of  training 25,  41,  480 

Animals  are  clairvoyant 77 

Children  are  clairvoyant 140,  281 

A  positive  method  of  attainment 203 

"Second-Sight"   produced   by  marriage   in   the   clan    or 

family 354 

How  international  marriages  have  destroyed  this  involun- 
tary  clairvoyance 355 

Activity  of  pituitary  body  and  pineal  gland  formerly  pro- 
duced involuntary  clairvoyance 473 

Re-awakening  of  their  vibratory  powers  will  produce  pos- 
itive clairvoyance . 477 

CLAIRVOYANTS. 

Why  their  observations  differ 26 

Difference  in  desirebody  of  trained  and  untrained  clair- 
voyant   67, 241 

How  anyone  may  distinguish  a  trained  clairvoyant. ..  .68,  400 
The   Lemurians   were   all   clairvoyant  but   could   not  gee 

physically 281 

INVOLUTION,  EVOLUTION  AND  EPIGENESIS  (topical). 

INVOLUTION. 

Involution  illustrated 80 

Involution  is  the  period  of  unconscious  development.  .185,  201 
Energy  of  Virgin  Spirits  turned  inwards  to  build  vehicles 

of  consciousness  during  Involution 189,  201 

Descent   of  spirt  marks  ascent  of   form.     Both  streams 

coalesce  in  the  focusing  mind 266 

Involution,  evolution  and  epigenesis  chapter 336 

EVOLUTION. 

Evolution  commences  at  the  coalition  of  spirit  and  body, 

when  self -consciousness  is  awakened 185,  202 


INDEX  509 

PAGE 

Then    "their    eyes    were    opened,"    the    creative    energy 

turned  outwards  and  conquest  of  world  begun.. 81, 190,202 
Salvation     and     damnation,     the     great     importance     of 

adaptability   223 

Evolution  would  have  ceased  if  man  had  eaten  of  tree  of 

life 363 

The  next  great  division  of  the  "sheep"  and  "goats"..   229 

Wine  as  a  factor  in  evolution 168,  359 

Evolution  is  progression  in  three  directions 151 

The  end  of  human  evolution 158 

Our  dense  body  is  in  fourth  stage  of  evolution,  vital  body 

in  third,  desirebody  in  second  and  the  mind  a  mere 

cloud   76 

Why    races  evolve  to  a  certain  point,  then  degenerate  and 

finally  die 289, 341 

How  embryology  confirms  occult  teaching 344 

Brain  evolved  at  cost  of  half  our  creative  force,  free-will 

at  cost  of  pain  and  death 363 

Involution,  Evolution  and  Epigenesis   (chapter) 336 

EPIGENESIS. 

Man 's  own  original  creative  activity 128, 135, 185 

Chapter  on  Involution,  Evolution  and  Epigenesis. .  .80,  81,  336 

See  definitions  under  diagram 367 

KNOWLEDGE. 

Knowledge  a  necessary  prerequisite  to  judgment 7 

Knowledge  of  clairvoyant  depends  upon  training. .  .25,  41,  480 

Why  knowledge  of  Cosmogony  is  very  important 191 

How  to  obtain  first-hand  knowledge 21,  97,  111,  430,  528 

KINGDOMS  OF  LIFE. 

Comparing  man  to  mineral,  plant  and  animal 56 

Various  constitution  of  vital  body  in  plant,  animal  and 

man  58 

Divers  constitution  of  desirebody  in  animal  and  man. .  .65,  235 
The  cross  symbolical  of  the  life  currents  pulsating  in  the 

four  kingdoms 85 

LAMENTATIONS;  their  effect  upon  the  dying  and  dead 101, 118 

LAW  OF  CAUSATION. 

Original  Semites  the  first  to  be  made  morally  responsible 

under  law  of  causation 301 


570  EOSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Law  of  causation  is  the  force  impelling  to  rebirth 130 

It  brings  each   to  birth  at   psychological   moment   when 

stellar  influences  are  most  propitious 161 

How  and  why  the  panoramas  of  life  are  produced 130 

Causation  automatically  produces  the  appropriate  suffer- 
ing needed  to  purge  each  from  his  vice 106 

Mature  destiny  and  inexorable  fate 136, 161 

Law  of  Causation  not  vitiated,  but  complemented,  by 
doctrines  of  Forgiveness  of  Sin  and  Atone- 
ment   91,  222,  373,  402 

The  binding  effect  of  action  and  method  of  liberation. . . .   202 

Causation  superseded  by  epigenesis 135 

Causation,  and  not  heredity,  accounts  for  our  character- 
istics and  idiosyncracies 157 

LAW  OF  REBIRTH. 

Rebirth  not  to  be  confused  with  doctrine  of  transmigration  157 

Rebirth  a  Christian  doctrine 164 

Why  this  teaching  has  been  temporarily  suppressed 167 

The  purpose  of  Rebirth 130 

The  necessity  of  Rebirth 132, 137 

Rebirth  and  freewill 129 

Panorama  of  future  life 130 

The  method  of  re-embodiment 133 

Rebirth  in  consonance  with  law  of  evolution 151 

Rebirth  in  consonance  with  law  of  periodicity 152 

Rebirth  in  consonance  with  ethical  requirements 153 

All  may  know  at  first  hand  this  truth 147 

Interval  between  births  measured  by  the  sun 159 

Intelligent  administration  and  exceptions 161 

Earth  and  other  worlds  also  subject  to  this  law 190,  412 


MAN'S  INVISIBLE  VEHICLES  (topical). 

VITAL  BODY. 

Germinated  as  a  thoughtform  in  Sun  period  given  to  man 

in  the  making  by  Lords  of  Wisdom 210 

Reconstructed  in  Moon  Period  by  Lords  of  Individuality 

and  Lords  of  Wisdom 215 


INDEX  571 

PAGE 

Beconstructed  in  Earth  Period  by  Angels  and  Lords  of 

Form  240 

They  later,  in  Hyperborean  Epoch,  clothe  man  in  the 

making  with  an  improved  vital  body 263 

Vital  body  is  in  its  third  stage  of  evolution 75,  76 

It  is  rooted  in  the  spleen.  Through  that  organ  the  vital 

body  specializes  solar  energy 63,  68 

The  vital  body  is  built  of  "points"  which  penetrate  the 

dense  atoms  and  raise  their  vibrations 61 

The  Becording  Angels  direct  its  construction  at  present  so 

that  man  may  reap  what  be  sows 135 

A  separate  vital  body  is  necessary  to  growth  and  assimila- 
tion   57,58 

It  serves  to  give  shape  to  the  dense  body  during  antenatal 

life 60, 137 

Vital  body  is  born  at  7th  year;  causing  growth 141 

Under  normal  conditions  it  remains  imbedded  in  dense 

body  from  birth  to  death 61 

The  chemical,  life,  light  and  reflecting  ethers  in  vital  body 

are  ripened  successively 143 

The  vital  body  is  of  opposite  sex  or  polarity  to  the  dense 

body  61 

Lemurian  girls  developed  memory  first  on  account  of 

having  a  positive  vital  body 280 

The  blood  and  glands  are  its  particular  expression 397, 455 

The  positive  vital  body  of  woman  gives  intuition,  also 

causing  periodical  flow  and  tears 60 

The  blood  absorbs  from  inspired  air  panorama  of  life 

engraves  it  on  seedatom  and  vital  body 91,  397, 398 

At  death  vital  body  is  withdrawn  and  panorama  of  past 

life  extracted 97,  102 

When  seedatom  is  withdrawn  vital  body  gravitates  back 

to     dense    body    and     decays    simultaneously    with 

that 102,  103 

Our  waking  consciousness  results  from  war  between  de- 

sirebody  and  vital  body 455 

Collapse  of  the  vital  body  is  cause  of  sleep 93 

In  health  surplus  of  vitality  is  radiated  as  N-rays;  they 

expel  deleterious  microbes  from  system 63 


572  KOSICKUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

These  radiations  are  weak  in  sickness,  hence  disease  germs 

may  easily  enter  and  cause  complications 63 

Why  pain  is  felt  in  a  limb  subsequent  to  amputation.  ...     64 

The  more  lax  the  connection  between  the  dense  and  vital 
bodies,  the  more  sensitive  we  become  to  superphysical 
vibrations  241 

The  desirebody  is  improved  by  law;   the  vital  body  by 

altruism,  developed  in  higher  life 404 

Initiation    before    Christ    was    therefore    reserved    to    a 

chosen    few    404,  405 

Since  vital  body  was  partially  freed  at  Golgotha,  initiation 

is  open  to  ' '  whosoever  will " 482 

Initiation  separates  the  four  ethers  of  vital  body  so  that 
two  may  be  extracted  at  will  and  used  in  "soul- 
flights"  through  inner  worlds 482 

The  effect  of  prayer  upon  the  vital  body 434,  463 

The  specific  method  of  separating  the  ethers.  .91,  111,  483,  528 

The  vital  body  will  be  our  densest  vehicle  in  the  Jupiter 

period;  it  will  contain  essence  of  dense  body. .240,  242,  422 

Its  essence:  the  intellectual  soul,  will  be  absorbed  by  the 

life  spirit  in  the  Venus  period 426 

The  vital  bodies  of  plant  and  animal  are  differently  con- 
stituted from  the  human  vehicle 58,  59 

Among  animals  it  is  not  concentric  with  the  dense  body 

except  in  prodigies   77 

DESIKEBODY. 

Given  in  the  Moon  Period  by  Lords  of  Individuality 215 

It  is  now  in  second  stage  of  its  evolution 76 

In  latter  part  of  Lemurian  and  early  part  of  Atlantis 
some  desirebodies  divided  into  higher  and  lower  parts 
thus  they  became  fit  to  harbor  a  human  Ego. . .  .235,  395 

These    dense    bodies    assumed    an    upright    walk    which 

emancipated  them  from  rule  of  groupspirit 86,  236 

Desirebody  of  man  has  now  incipient  sense  centers 67 

The  Lords  of  Mind  linked  mind  to  higher  part  of  desire- 
body  and  implanted  separate  selfhood 243 

The  undivided  desirebodies  crystallized  their  dense  ve- 
hicles which  have  degenerated  to  anthropoids. . .  .236,  243 


INDEX  573 

PAGE 

The  Archangels  work  in  those,  also  in  the  lower  part  of 

the  human  desirebody,  giving  passion 236,  243 

Desirebodies  of  animals  are  not  concentric  with  dense 

body  and  otherwise  differently  constituted 65,  77 

Only  those  bodies  which  have  red  blood  and  a  liver  can 

have  a  separate  desirebody 69 

In  coldblooded  animals  groupspirit  forces  currents  of  de- 
sire inwards  through  liver 69 

The  separate  spirit  which  dwells  in  warm  red  blood  forces 

its  desire  currents  outwards  through  liver 69 

Thus  the  liver  is  the  root  of  the  desirebody 68 

The  desirebody  has  its  particular  field  of  operation  in 

the  voluntary  nerves  and  muscles 455 

Its  operations  in  the  spleen  produce  white  bloodcor- 

puscles  435 

Material  for  new  desirebody  is  gathered  by  Ego  prior  to 

each  birth  134 

It  is  born  at  14  when  the  life  ether  of  the  vital  body  is 

ripe  and  the  child  becomes  adolescent 142,  143 

The  constant  war  between  desirebody  and  vital  body  pro- 
duces our  waking  consciousness 455 

Desirebody  is  temporarily  withdrawn  during  sleep 93 

It  is  permanently  extracted  at  death 97 

During  life  it  is  ovoid,  but  takes  shape  of  dense  body  at 

death,  thus  the  man  appears  as  before 66 

Desirebody  of  suicide  feels  hollowed  out  while  archetype 
of  his  dense  body  persists;  he  suffers  pain  like  in- 
tense hunger  104 

Panorama  of  life  etched  on  desirebody  forms  basis  of 
post  mortem  existence.  Importance  of  deep  etching 
and  how  to  assure  that  end 109 

Process  of  purgation  and  extraction  of  conscience. ..  .105,  108 

Dissolution  of  desirebody  when  seed  atom  is  taken 120 

Desirebodies  of  children  who  die  do  not  dissolve 117 

The  desirebody  will  be  perfected  in  the  Venus  Period 
and  compounded  with  essence  of  dense  and  vital 
bodies 423 

Its  essence,  the  Emotional  Soul,  will  be  absorbed  by  the 

human  spirit  in  Vulcan  Period 425 


574  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Prayer  for  the  spiritualization  of  the  desirebody 464 

MIND. 

The  necessity  and  purpose  of  mind 57,  75,  298 

It  is  a  focusing  point  like  lens  in  stereopticon,  valuable 

•when  not  subject  to  mental  St.  Vitus  dance 89,  393 

Given  by  Lords  of  Mind  in  early  Atlantis 222 

Mind  designed  to  give  purpose  to  action,  but  became  en- 
meshed in  desirebody  originating  cunning 298 

Then  Eace  religions  were  given  to  cow  desire  and  free 

mind    395 

Original  Semites,  the  progenitors  of  Aryan  Races  first  to 

evolve  thought  and  reason 299 

The  Jews,  a  crossbreed  of  Original  Semites,  (the  sons  of 

God)  and  other  Atlantean  races,   (the  daughters  of 

men),  still  retain  cunning 310 

How  mindstuff  for  new  mind  is  gathered  prior  to  each 

birth    133 

It  assumes  shape  of  a  large  bell 134 

Mind  is  born  at  21  when  man  reaches  " majority" 142 

The  veil  of  Isis,  the  sheath  of  mind,  which  hides  the  Ego 

from  intrusion 293 

What  impels  thought , 285 

Conscious,  subconscious  and  superconscious  mind . .  .  90,  92,  397 

The  mind  is  temporarily  withdrawn  during  sleep 93 

It  is  permanently  extracted  from  dense  body  at  death ....     97 
Why   the   mind   of   children   which   die,   persist   in   their 

next  life 117 

The  mind  dissolved  when  Ego  ascends  to  third  Heaven . . .  129 

The  present  war  between  heart  and  mind 17 

The  effects  of  open  mind  compared  with  scepticism 7 

Valuable  training  for  the  mind. 202 

Prayer  for  spiritualizing  the  mind ; . . .   464 

The  mind  is  now  in  its  mineral  stage,  dead,  hence  we 

work  with  dead  chemical  mineral  substances.  .298,  426,  428 
In  the  Jupiter  Period  the  mind  will  become  alive.     Then 

we  shall  work  with  living  plants 298,  427,  428 

In  Venus  Period  the  mind  will  acquire  feeling.     Then 

we  shall  work  with  living,  feeling  animals 428 


INDEX  575 

PAGE 

In  Vulcan  Period  the  mind  will  become  creative  and  cap- 
able of  propagating  itself.  Then  we  shall  give  our 

creatures  a  mind  and  make  them  human 428 

How  animals  think  though  lacking  mind 70 

What   Instinct   really  is 78 

EGO.     (See  Human  Spirit.) 

The  Ego  is  a  Virgin  Spirit  involved  in  a  threefold  veil 
of  matter  which  obliterates  its  original  divine  con- 
sciousness and  engenders  the  illusion  of  a  separate 

self    216 

During    Involution    it    brooded   unconsciously    over     the 

evolving  form,  separate  and  apart  therefrom 235 

In  later  Lemuria  desirebody  divided  and  dense  body  as- 
sumed upright  walk.  Then  Ego  commenced  to 

enter 236,  394 

•     It  did  not  become  fully  indwelling  until  the  last  third  of 

Atlantis    294 

Now  the  Ego  is  entirely  in  physical  world  while  it  lives 

its  earth  life 71,  77,  95 

The  seven  human  principles 88 

Mars  polarized  the  iron  until  Atlantis  so  that  warm  blood 
could  not  be  generated.  Thus  the  Ego  was  pre- 
vented from  entering  the  form  till  it  was  ripe 268 

The  blood  is  the  vantage  ground  of  the  Ego 350 

But  it  must  be  of  right  temperature 144 

The  Ego  is  born  from  time  to  time  to  gather  experience. .  129 
In  heaven  it  assimilates  experiences  of  previous  lives.  .135, 138 

It  also  chooses  its  coming  environment 129, 136 

While  in  heaven  it  builds  that  environment  and  arche- 
types of  the  bodies  it  uses  on  earth 128 

It  gathers  the  materials  for  its  new  vehicles  during  its 

descent  to  rebirth 133 

Kecording  Angels  place  matrix  of  its  coming    body    in 

womb  of  mother  and  seedatom  in  semen  of  father. . .   135 

Ego  enters  womb  18-21  days  after  conception 138 

Ego  cannot  generate  blood  from  unripe  childbody,  hence 
thymus  gland  gives  a  supply  of  parental  blood  till  the 

"  I "  consciousness  comes  at  puberty 143 

How  the  Race  Spirit  held  Ego  in  bondage 350 


576  EOSICEUCTAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Christ  came  to  emancipate  us  from  Race  Spirit 313,  35^ 

How  international  marriages  are  furthering  that   object 

by  generating  individualized  blood 353 

HUMAN  SPIRIT.     (See  Ego.) 

Originally  awakened  by  the  Seraphim 215 

Cherubim  and  Lords  of  Wisdom  linked  human  spirit  to 

life   spirit    215 

Lords  of   Flame  and  Lords  of  Individuality  linked  the 

human  spirit  to  the  divine  spirit 2iG 

The   Lords  of   Form   are   now   in   charge  of   the   human 

spirit    220 

The  divine  spirit  is  the  first  veil  of  the  Virgin  Spirit,  the 
life  spirit  is  the  second  and  the  human  spirit  is  the 
third,  outermost  sheath  which  imprisons  the  Virgin 

Spirit  and  makes  it  a  separate  Ego 216 

LIFE  SPIRIT. 

Awakened  by  Cherubim  in  Sun  Period 211 

Linked  to  divine  spirit  by  Lords  of  Flame 212 

Linked  to  human  spirit  by  Lords  of  Individuality 215 

Lords  of  Individuality  now  in  charge  of  life  spirit 220 

DIVINE  SPIRIT. 

Awakened  by  Lords  of  Flame 207 

Linked  to  life  spirit  by  Lords  of  Flame 212 

Linked  to  human  spirit  by  Lords  of  Individuality 216 

Lords  of  Wisdom  now  in  charge  of  divine  spirit 220 

MARRIAGE. 

Marriage  and  generation  both  a  duty  and  a  privilege...  468 

But  not  a  license  to  unbridled  indulgence 471 

Formerly  Race  Spirits  commanded  marriage  in  the  family 

to'strengthen  the  "tie  of  blood" 353 

Later  international  marriages  were  insisted  upon  to 
emancipate  the  individual  from  race,  kin  and 

country   355 

Under  the  former  regime  the  common  blood  produced  in 
each  member  of  family  pictures  of  their  common  an- 
cestors (second  sight),  thus  intensifying  feeling  of 

kinship 354 

The  Race  Spirit  is  a  "jealous  God".     He  cuts  off  all 

who  marry  outside  of  race 310,  335 


INDEX  577 

PAGE 

International  marriages  have  mixed  the  blood,  destroyed 
the  pictures  of  ancestors  and  second  sight  (which  is 

involuntary  clairvoyance)    355 

Origin  of  honeymoon  trips 219 

CELIBACY;  why  practiced  by  high  Initiates 467 

MATERIALISM. 

•  Statement  of  the  doctrine  of  materialism 148 

The  nebular  theory  predicates  a  creator  and  sustainer  of 

the  Universe 323 

The  logical  necessity  of  a  Creative  Intelligence 129 

Materialism  at  war  with  established  facts 149 

Materialism  a  cause  of  various  diseases 1 13 

Cause     of     earthquakes,     illustrated     by     eruptions     of 

Vesuvius   510 

Effect  of  materialism  on  life  after  death 112 

MEDIUMS. 

Why  unreliable,  even  when  honest 41 

The  connection  between  the  dense  and  vital  bodies  of  me- 
diums is  more  lax  than  among  ordinary  people,  and 
their  weak  wills  render  them  a  prey  to  "controls". . .  241 
Materialization  of  spirits  is  accomplished  by  these   con- 
trols by  extracting  medium's  vital  body  through  the 

spleen  62 

MATHEMATICS. 

Mathematical  ability  and  semicircular  canals  of  ear 126 

MEMORY. 

Memory  was  first  developed  by  the  girls  in  Lemuria 280 

In  olden  days  it  was  greater  than  now.  The  third  At- 
lantean  Race,  the  Toltecs,  achieved  the  highest  ef- 
ficiency    296 

When  men  married  in  the  family  the  common  blood  car- 
ried to  them  a  memory  of  the  lives  of  ancestors 353 

Memory  is  threefold.  Conscious,  subconscious  and  super- 
conscious.  The  conscious  memory  is  unreliable,  but 
the  subconscious  memory  stores  all  events.  .90,  92,  149,  397 

Why  most  people  do  not  remember  past  lives 171 

Why  some  people  remember  more  than  others 172 

A  little  girl 's  memory  of  a  past  life 172 


578  B08ICBTJCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAOE 

MEMORY  OF  NATURE. 

There  is  a  picture  in  the  reflecting  ether,  in  the  Region 

of  Archetypal  Forces  and  the  World  of  Life  Spirit. .     38 
MENSTRUATION. 

Menstruation  and  tears  caused  by  positive  vital  body  of 

woman 60 

MICROBES. 

How  microbes  are  expelled  from  system  by  N-rays 63 

MINERAL. 

Entered  evolution  here  in  Earth  Period 232 

Mineral  has  a  consciousness  similar  to  that  of  the  human 

body  when  in  deepest  trance 85 

All  forms  have  been  built   from  chemical  mineral  sub- 
stance of  the  earth 30,  31 

All  forms  finally  degenerate  back  to  mineral 343 

Comparison  of  mineral  and  man 56 

Why  it  is  incapable  of  growth,  motion  and  thought 58 

Why  it  is  unfeeling,  though  it  responds  to  impacts 31 

The  mineral  groupspirit  is  located  in  the  Region  of  ab- 
stract Thought 85 

MISSIONARIES. 

Needed  at  home  more  than  abroad 163 

Why  foreign  missions  are  a  mistaken  effort 308 

Music. 

Music  of  the  spheres  a  fact  in  nature 119 

The  Great  Silence;  the  prelude  to  the  celestial  harmony 

of  Appollos  seven-stringed  Lyre 122 

The  power  of  rythmic  vibration;  supercilious  incredulity 

concerning  the  fall  of  Jericho's  walls  gratuitous 122 

Heaven  the  realm  of  tone  and  sound  flows  through  Arche- 
types and  builds  form 123,  124 

The  keynote  of  the  body 369 

The  semicircular  canals  of  the  ear  and  music 126 

NEBULAR  THEORY. 

Predicates  and  requires  a  creator  and  sustainer  of  the 

Universe  323 

N-RAYS.  the  invisible  radiations  of  the  vital  body,  expel  mi- 
crobes from  system 63 


INDEX  579 

PAGE 

NEW  JERUSALEM;  an  imitation  is  found  in  first  heaven  built 

by  thoughts  on  the  subject 116 

OSMOSIS. 

A  selective  filtration  of  fluids  through  tissue  of  body 35 

Man 's  first  method  of  obtaining  nourishment 263 

PAIN. 

A  blessing  in  disguise  (illustration) 131 

Torture  used  in  Lemuria  to  waken  consciousness 279 

How  pain  has  enlarged  our  consciousness 362 

PATRIOTISM. 

Danger  of  patriotism  when  carried  to  extremes 307,  312 

Patriotism  breaking  down  before  international  mar- 
riages   355 

PHILOSOPHERS'  STONE. 

As  manufactured  by  nature,  often  handled  by  people. . .  438 
PILGRIMAGE  THROUGH  MATTER. 

Its  beginning,  its  end  and  why  undertaken 87 

What  will  be  the  fruitage 429 

PRAYER. 

The  Lord 's  prayer 435,  462 

Unselfish  prayers  for  spiritual  achievement  spiritualize 
vital  body.  Why  we  should  pray  "without  ceas- 
ing"   434,  463 

PLANTS. 

The  present  plants  started  their  evolution  as  minerals  of 
the  Moon  Period,  they  become  human  in  the  Venus 

Period    226 

Their  consciousness  is  like  ours  in  deep  sleep 85 

The  Angels  have  particular  charge  over  the  plants 222 

The  groupspirits  of  plants  are  in  the  Region  of  Concrete 

Thought   74,  85 

Comparison  of  a  plant  and  man :  the  inverted  plant ....  57,  86 

Why  incapable  of  thought  and  motion 58,  69 

How  the  sap  is  caused  to  circulate  and  deposit  color ....     37 
The  Earth  Spirit  feels  pain  when  plants  are  pulled  out 

by  roots   65 

Seedatom    of    plants    withheld    by    groupspirit    pending 

favorable  conditions  for  growth 461 


580  ROSICBUCIAX  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PRECESSION  OF  THE  EQUINOX.  PAGE 

Governs  the  frequency  of  rebirth 159 

POEMS. 

Sir  Launfal's  Vision  (the  ethics  of  giving) 115 

Raphael's  Song  (from  Paust;  in  re  music  of  spheres). .  .   119 

The  Chambered  Nautilus  (progression  of  the  soul) 159 

Fate   and    Freewill 163 

The  oftener  we  die,  the  better  we  live 249 

The  Christ   within 3S9 

Who  is  the  Grail 389 

REASON. 

First  developed  by  the  Original  Semites;  the  progenitors 

of  the  Aryan  Races 299 

Cunning,  the  Atlantean  characteristic  of  the  Jew 309 

Reason  to  be  superseded  by  Love  in  New  Galilee 311 

Appeal  to  students '  reason 9 

Rosicrucian  teachings  endeavor  to  satisfy  reason 439 

RECORDING  ANGELS. 

Mold  the  vital  body;   impress  panorama  of  coming  life 

thereon  and  place  it  in  womb  of  mother 135 

They  bring  each  being  to  birth  at  the  auspicious  moment 
when  the  stellar  influences  will  give  it  conditions  re- 
quisite to  its  next  step  in  unfoldraent 161 

They  also  force  the  expiation  of  mature  destiny 136,  161 

RELIGION. 

The  evolution  of  Religion  (chapter) 367 

Why  different  Religions  are  necessary  to  different  people.  371 
The  four  steps  in  Religion  through   fear,  avarice,  love 

and  duty 303 

Mistake  of  seeking  a  foreign  religion 308 

Why  the  Bible,  to  be  adequate  to  the  needs  of  the  West- 
ern World,  must  contain  both  the  Jewish  religion  of 
the  old  Testament  and  the  Christian  religion  of  the 

New 308,  314,  315 

Paul  asserts  there  is  an  allegorical  meaning  to  the  Bible 
(yet  it  is  only  to  be  interpreted  by  who  can  see — II 
Pet:  1.20).  Both  Paul  and  Christ  gave  an  esoteric 

teaching  to  "the  few" 319 

Why  earlier  Religions  taught  the  doctrine  of  Rebirth  and 

Christianity  does  not  specially  feature  it 167 


INDEX  581 

PAGE 

The  purpose  of  Jehovistic  Race  religions  is  to  curb  the 
desirenature  that  the  intellect  may  gain  scope.  334, 395,  433 

The  purpose  of  the  Christian  Religion  is  to  spiritualize 

the  vital  body  by  love  and  prayer 433,  435,  463 

The  Religion  of  the  Father  will  spiritualize  the  dense  body 

and  restore  Unity  435,  436 

ROSICBUCIANS. 

One  of  the  seven  schools  of  the  lesser  Mysteries 438 

Christian  Rosenkreuz  and  the  Philosopher's  Stone 515 

Initiation,  the  Order  of  the  Rose  Cross  and  the  Rosicrucian 

Fellowship 519 

SALVATION. 

The  theological  plan  of  salvation 150 

The  evolutionary  plan  of  salvation 224,  229,  307,  312 

Salvation  by  Atonement  and  Forgiveness  of  Sin 

91,  111,  373,  402 

SLEEP. 

Caused  by  collapse  of  vital  body 93 

Why  sleep  is  restorative. 93 

Chemical  Ether,  the  avenue  of  restorative  forces 94 

Similarity  between  sleep  and  death 102 

Similarity  between  sleep  and  concentration 483 

Preliminary   work    of   aspirant    in    desire   world    during 

steep    484 

SENSE  PERCEPTIONS. 

Organs   of    sense,   particularly   the   ear,   started    in    the 

Saturn  Period  206 

Sense  perception  depends  upon  the  force*  in  th«  Light 

Ether    36 

Lemurians  could  hear  and  feel  at  birth,  but  their  sight 

came  later 276 

SOLAR  SYSTEM. 

The  logical  necessity  of  a  Creative  Intelligence 122,  129 

The  nebular  theory  requires  a  Creator  and  Sustainer  of 

the  solar  system 323 

The  Bible  asserts  that  our  system  was  formed  from  the 

' '  everlasting  essence ' ' :  primordial  matter 321 


582  KOSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

God  is  the  Architect  of  our  solar  system 179 

The  Seven  Spirits  before  the  Throne,  individually  con- 
sidered, are  the  Kegents  of  the  seven  planets 180 

Collectively,  they  are  God 183,  253 

THE  SUN. 

The  real  sun  is  as  invisible  as  the  real  man 258 

How  it  is  scientifically  possible  to  have  light  before  the 

creation  of  the  sun  and  moon 398 

The  sun  is  the  visible  symbol  of  God 181 

Spiritual  and  physical  rays  of  the  sun 390 

Will  is  a  solar  force  expressed  in  the  male  sex.  Imagina- 
tion is  a  female,  lunar  force 267 

The  solar  force  works  in  vital  body,  makes  for  life,  the 
lunar  rays  crystallize  the  dense  body  and  cause 

death    265 

Prior  to  end   of   Hyperborean    Epoch    sun,    moon    and 

earth  were  yet  one  and  humanity  were  malefemale. .   268 
PLANETS  AND  MOONS. 

Spiritual  reason  for  the  formation  of  planets 218 

The  planets  are  the  bodies  of  the  Planetary  Spirits  which 

direct  their  movements  from  the  center 255,  256 

Birth  of  Uranus,  Saturn  and  Jupiter 258 

Mars  and  its  canals,  the  Earth,  Venus  and  Mercury 

". 259,  271,  272 

The  influence  of  Mars  prevented  the  Ego  from  entering 

the  body  before  that  was  ripe 268 

The  influence  of  Mercury  will  help  man  free  himself  so 

that  he  may  leave  body  and  re-enter  it  at  will 273 

The  Lords  of  Venus  as  leaders  of  humanity 272 

Why  some  planets  have  moons 259 

Our  moon,  the  abode  of  failures  who  crystallized 264 

Crystallization  of  the  matter  which  is  eventually  thrown 
off  as  a  planet  commences  at  pole  of  the  sun  where 

motion  is  slowest 263 

The  Earth  was  thus  expelled  from  the  sun  in  the  end 

of  the  Hyperborean  Epoch 263 

Then  a  part  of  the  Earth  crystallized  too  early  and  was 
expelled  in  the  beginning  of  the  Lemurian  Epoch; 
that  is  the  Moon .  264 


INDEX  583 

PAGE 

Neptune  does  not  really  belong  to  our  solar  system 260 

(For  proof  of  this  assertion,  see  Simplified  Scientific 
Astrology,  page  5.) 

Future  evolution  of  planets 256 

Each  planet  has  three  worlds:    the  Physical  World,  the 

Desire  World  and  the  World  of  Thought 53 

MARS. 

Our  evolution  on  that  part  of  the  sun  which  now  consti- 
tutes the  earth  commenced  after  Mars  had  been  ex- 
pelled and  become  a  separate  planet 263 

The  influence  of  Mars  on  the  indwelling  spirit 268,  274 

The  Martian  canals 259 

VENUS. 

A  number  of  Beings  from  Venus  and  Mercury  were  sent 
to  help  nascent  humanity  in  Lemuria.  They  were 
looked  up  to  as  messengers  of  the  gods 271,  272 

After  gestatory  period  of  Aryan  Race  they  gave  freewill 

to  the  Original  Semites 301 

They  then  withdrew  and  left  human   Initiates  to  guide 

their  younger  brothers 304 

MERCURY. 

Lords  of  Mercury  were  the  original  Hierophants  of  the 
Mysteries.  They  initiated  the  most  precocious  among 
mankind  and  made  them  kings  (by  grace  of  God) . . .  272 

They  first  showed  man  how  he  may  extricate  himself  at 

will  from  dense  body 274 

Why  quicksilver  is  fluidic  and  evaporates 274 

The  influence  of  Merewry  will  increase 275 

EARTH. 

During  the  Polarian  Epoch  that  which  is  now  the  earth 
and  the  moon  was  yet  a  part  of  the  sun.  Division 
came  in  the  end  of  the  Hyperborean  Epoch 263 

The  present  Moon-beings  crystallized  part  of  the  earth 

and  were  expelled  in  beginning  of  Lemuria 264 

Effect  of  the  solar  and  lunar  forces  upon  earth 265 

Previous   to   advent   of   Jehovah,    Earth   and   man   were 

under  a  groupspirit  which  worked  from  without 351 

For  ages  prior  to  our  era  Christ  worked  upon  earth  and 

man  from  without 404 


584  EOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

When  liberated  from  Jesus'  body  at  Golgotha  the  Christ 
entered  the  Earth  and  has  since  been  the  indwelling 

Earthspirit,  the  Kegent  of  our  planet 407 

The  planetary  Christ  immured  in  the  earth  is  a  ray  from 
the  Cosmic  Christ  in  the  sun,  refracted  into  each 

planet  when  ready  for  Brotherhood 408 

The  sacrifice  on  Golgotha  was  but  the  commencement  of 
a  protracted  period  of  suffering  on  part  of  the  Christ, 
who  is  groaning  and  travailing  waiting  for  the  day  of 

liberation   408,  506 

Earth    Spirit    feels    when    stone     is    broken    or    flower 

plucked    65,  505 

Inner  constitution  of  the  Earth  and  volcanic  eruptions.  . .   498 

Stages  of  human  development  and  various  foods 165 

The  so-called  "dead"  transform  the  earth,  its  flora  and 

fauna  125 

The  keynote  of  the  earth 123 

The    Bible    agrees    with    occult    teaching   that    man    has 

been  on  earth  before 332 

SOUND. 

The  Word  made  flesh,  the  Creative  Fiat,  a  rythmic  sound 

which  built  all  things 181 

The  music  of  the  spheres 119 

The  Great  Silence,   a  gate   to  the  realm  of  sound,  the 

Heavenworld    122 

Sound,  the  builder  of  climate,  flora  and  fauna 125 

The  ram 's  horn  disrupting  the  walls  of  Jericho  a  scientific 

possibility   122,  369 

Sound,  rhythm;  incorporates  the  soul  into  the  spirit  and 

amalgamates  them   124 

SOUL. 

The  World-soul  said  by  Plato  to  be  crucified 85 

Soul  is  the  spiritualized  product  of  the  body 95 

' '  The  soul  of  all  flesh  is  in  the  blood " 350 

Definite  method  of  accomplishing  soulgrowth 95 

Sound  and  the  amalgamation  of  soul  with  spirit 124 

Prior  to  entrance  of  indwelling  Ego  higher  part  of  de- 

sirebody  was  master,  a  sort  of  animal  soul 394,  235 

Theological  doctrine  of  creation  of  soul 150 


INDEX  585 

PAGE 

Soul  of  man  and  animal  not  weighed  by  doctors 99 

SPACE  is  spirit  not  yet  crystallized  to  form 249 

SPIRIT. 

Of  man  may  be  seen  before  birth  and  after  death 19 

It  is  clothed  in  various  bodies 88 

Mars  prevented  the  human  spirit,  the  Ego  from  immur- 
ing itself  in  body  before  it  was  ripe 268 

Effect  of  wine,  the  counterfeit  spirit  produced  by  decay, 

upon  the  Ego,  the  spirit  of  life 168 

Space  is  spirit  not  yet  crystallized  into  form 247 

The  positive  pole  of  spirit  manifests  as  life  galvanizing 

the  negative  form  into  action 248 

MATTER. 

Is     negative     spirit     substance;     crystallized     space     or 

spirit  120,  187,  247 

Relation  of  force  and  matter  illustrated 121 

The  Seven  Worlds  are  states  of  matter 29 

All  physical  matter  is  homogeneous  in  the  ultimate 31 

Matter  is  devoid  of  true  feeling 31 

Ether  is  physical  matter;  the  field  of  operation  of  force 

which  acts  upon  the  gases,  liquids  and  solids 30 

Desirestuff  is  the  matter  of  the  Desireworld,  which  causes 

feeling  and  compels  motion 39 

Mindstuff  is  the  matter  of  the  Begion  of  Concrete  thought 

which  we  use  to  embody  and  concrete  our  ideas 30 

The  use  of  desirestuff  in  our  thought-activity 89 

The  reason  for  the  spirits  pilgrimage  through  matter. ...     87 
How  its  original  divine  All  consciousness  is  obscured  by 

the  three  veils  of  matter 216 

Spirit  and  matter  merge  in  Chaos;    only  the  seedatoms 

of  the  World-globes  persist 247 

The    Bible    does    not    say   the    earth    was   created    from 

' '  nothing ' '.     It  names  a  basic  substance 322 

How  the  homogeneous  primordial  matter  is  formed  into 

the  several  Worlds 375 

STORIES  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

A  sure  method  of  attaining  wisdom 21 


586  KOS1CBUC1AN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Clairvoyant  sees  worlds  as  invisible  to  most  people  as  the 

light  and  color  we  see  is  to  a  blind  man 24 

The   existence   of    Invisible    Worlds,    interpenetration    of 

Physical  World   (frostflower,  freezing  water) 27 

Eelative  reality  and  permanency  of  visible  and  invisible 

worlds  shown  by  architects  house v 28 

The  purpose  of  visible  world  as  school  of  right  thought  il- 
lustrated by  Inventors  machine 33 

Necessity  for  occult  training,  babe  and  blind  who  has  ac- 
quired sight,  must  learn  to  see  here 41 

Always  look  for  the  good.     Christ  and  dead  dog 44 

Three  men  and  dog  show  operation  of  twin  feelings  and 

twin  forces  of  Desireworld 46 

Sponge,  sand  and  water  to  show  interpenetration  and  ex- 
tension of  the  three  worlds  of  a  planet 53 

Telegraph  system  illustrating  operation  vital  fluid 63 

Man's  dense  body  a  concretion  of  his   finer  vehicles  as 

snails  house  is  crystallized  snail 73 

Illustration   of   difference  between  man  with   indwelling 

Ego  and  animal  with  groupspirit 78 

Musician's  hand  and  gloves  showing  obscuration  of  con- 
sciousness  during  involution 80 

Entering  house  on  sunny  day  and  finding  focus  showing 

purpose  in  evolution 81 

Spirit  buried  in  matter  as  seed  in  soil 87 

Worldsoul  symbolized  in  cross 87 

Boston  doctor  weighing  soul  of  animal  and  man 99 

The  young  cling  to  life  in  body  as  tenaciously  as  seed 
to  pulp   of  unripe   fruit,  the  aged   die  as   easily   as 

seed  falls  from  ripe  fruit 103 

Snail  illustrating  relation  of  force  and  matter 121 

Heidelberg  wall  and  the  walls  of  Jericho 122 

Spiritual  causes  produce  physical  effects;  one  man  knock- 
ing  another   down 125 

Necessity  of  a  Creator;  box  of  type  and  chaos 129 

Nebular  theory  requires  Creator  and  Sustainer 323 

Blessing  of  pain ;  hand  on  hot  stove 131 

How  seedatoms  gather  material  like  magnet 133 


INDEX  587 

PAGE 

Heredity  and  individuality;  carpenter  takes  material  from 

certain  pile,  but  builds  as  he  will 138 

Shape  of  body  depends  on  etheric  matrix  like  ice  crystals 

on  lines  of  force  in  water 137 

Impossibility  of  escape  from   mature  destiny 161 

Story  of  a  remembered  past  life 172 

Activity  of  chaos  illustrated 208 

Color  illustrating  the  divine  and  human  principles 252 

The  personality,  the  reverse  reflection  of  spirit  as  trees 

reflected   in  pond 266 

Vicarious  Atonement  402 

Value    of   a    hard    life 432 

Initiation  like  pulling  trigger  of  pistol 520 

TEARS;  why  women  are  more  prone  to  emotion  than  men.  ...     60 

TEMPERAMENT  not  inherited 138 

TEMPTATION  ;  purpose  of  temptation 110,  282 

TRANSMIGRATION. 

A  fallacy  not  to  be  confused  with  rebirth 157 

TRANCE  brings  one  in  touch  with  subconscious  mind 149 

THOUGHT. 

Cost  of  the  faculty  of  thought 270 

Thought  and  the   faculty  of  expression   are   the   highest 

human  privileges 236 

Cunning  was  developed  in  early  Atlantis 309 

Difficulty  of  transmuting  cunning  to  reason 310 

Thought   first    developed   by   Original   Semites   who  were 

our  progenitors    299,  309 

What  impels  man  to  think 285 

How  an  idea  becomes  a  thought 88 

How  thoughts  are  generated,  ensouled  and  projected 89 

Thought  impressed  upon  braincenters  through  Reflecting 

Ether   38,  89 

How  thoughts  are  impressed  upon  the  conscious  memory. .     90 
How    thoughts    are    impressed     upon     the     subconscious 

memory;  "like  chickens  coming  home  to  roost" 91 

The  effect  of  the  twin  forces  and  feelings  on  thought 89 

Thought  transmission ;  how  accomplished 90 

Thought,  the  supreme  reality 28 


588  EOSICEUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

The  World  of  Thought  where  thoughts  are  generated .  .  48,  88 
The  Physical  World  where  we  are  schooled  in  the  right 

use    of    thought 33 

The  elevating  influence  of  abstract  thought 203 

How  animals  think  though  lacking  mind 70 

VESUVIUS  eruptions  the  result  of  materialism 510 

VIRTUE. 

Not  synonymous  with  innocence;  it  predicates  knowledge 

and  choice   282 

VITAL  FORCE. 

Solar  energy  specialized  through  spleen 63,  68 

How  used  by  Ego  to  operate  muscles 89 

How  it  expels  deleterious  microbes  from  system 63 

How  obstructed  flow  of  vital  force  causes  sleep 93 

VITALITY. 

Archetypes  of  Vitality 50 

WAR. 

War  between  heart  and  mind 17,  384,  393 

Effect  of  death  on  the  battlefield 118 

Not  peace,  but  a  sword 387 

WISDOM. 

Human  wisdom  contrasted  with  animal  instinct 79,  84 

WILL. 

Will  is  the  spiritual  expression  of  the  positive,  male  and 
solar  sexforce.  Imagination  is  feminine,  negative  and 

lunar   267 

In  early  Lemuria,  Will  enabled  man  to  frustrate  God's 

plan  and  caused  all  our  pain  and  suffering 362 

It  is  the  force  ensouling  thought 89 

WORLDSOUL;  symbolically  crucified 85 

WORD. 

The  Word  made  flesh;  the  Great  Creative  Fiat 181 

The  cries  of  the  Moon  period  beings  the  first  echo  of  the 

creative  fiat  219 

Verbal  expression  of  thought  our  highest  human  achieve- 
ment and  privilege 236 

The  larynx  was  originally  part  of  the  creative  organ 
sometime  it  will  give  back  in  full  "the  lost  Word" 
the  creative  Fiat 2G9,  304,  425 


INDEX  58y 

PAGE 

WORLDS. 

The  necessity  of  dividing  matter  into  Worlds 29 

How   the  homogeneous  primordial  matter  is  disposed  in 

different  manner  to  form  various  worlds 187,  375 

The  beginning,  purpose  and  end  of  worlds 188 

There  are  worlds  denser  than  the  Physical  World 233 

Each  planet   has  three  worlds;   the   Physical  World,  the 

Desire  World  and  the  World  of  Thought 53 

The  threefold  planets  of  a  solar  system  swim  in  a  sea 
of  matter  from  a  fourth  world:  the  World  of  Life 
Spirit  55 

All  the  solar  systems  swim  in  a  sea  of  matter  from  the 

World  of  Divine  Spirit  which  links  them 55 

Illustration  to  show  this  relationship 53 

Why  some  worlds  are  invisible  to  most  people  though  per- 
ceived clearly  by  others 24 

Why  we  should  endeavor  to  investigate  those  worlds 27 

REGION. 

A  subdivision  of  any  of  the  Worlds 30 

The  Chemical  Region,  the  Etherie  Region.     Main  divisions 

of  the  Physical  World  30 

The  Region  of  Concrete  Thought,  the  Region  of  Abstract 

Thought.     Main  divisions  of  the  World  of  Thought..     30 
PHYSICAL  WORLD. 

The  chemical   region   consists  of   solids,  liquids  and  the 

gases  which  are  the  basis  of  form 30 

The  etheric  region  consists  of  four  ethers  which  are  the 

avenue  of  life  vitalizing  form 32,  35,  38 

The  Physical  World  is  the  realm  of  form;  why  color  and 

tone  are  foreign  to  thereto 119 

Value  of  Physical  World  as  a  school  of  experience 32 

CHEMICAL  ETHEB. 

It  is  the  avenue  of  the  forces  which  accomplish  assimila- 
tion, the  so-called  dead  among  them 35,  126 

Ripe  at  seventh  year  when  vital  body  is  born 143 

LIFE  ETHER. 

Is  the  avenue  of  propagation 36 

It  is  ripe  at  the  14th  year  when  child  becomes  adolescent 

and  capable  of  reproduction 143 


590  BO8ICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 
Forces   working   in   positive   pole   produces   males  in   the 

negative  pole  females 36 

LIGHT  ETHER. 

Is  our  avenue  of  sense  perception,  the  forces  in  positive 

pole  generate  warm  blood  in  negative  cold  blood 36 

Clorophyl  and  circulation  of  sap  in  plants 37 

REFLECTING  ETHER. 

Storehouse  of  the  memory  of  nature  and  of  man 37 

Ego  makes  impression  on  brain  by  this  ether 38,  89 

Mediums  and  psychometrists  read  events  there 38 

DESIRE  WORLD. 

Is  preeminently  the  realm  of  light  and  color;  forms  are 
extremely  unstable  but  tone  is  sweeter  than  here,  yet 

not  native  to  this  world 119 

The  luminous  desirestuff  is  disposed  in  seven  regions  or 

states  of  varying  density  as  force-matter 39 

Purgatory  is  in  the  three  densest  states  of  the  Desire- 
world,  the  First  Heaven  in  the  three  upper  and  be- 
tween them  a  Borderland  of  monotony. 112 

The  twin  forces  and  twin  feelings  of  the  Desire  World ...     42 
REPULSION. 

One  of  the  twin  forces  of  the  Desire  World  tending  to 

purge  us  from  evil  and  destroy  it 43 

It  is  dominant  in  the  three  lower  regions 42 

Illustration   of  its  operation 46 

How  it  operates  in  our  thought  activity 89 

ATTRACTION. 

One  of  the  twin  forces  of  the  Desire  World 42 

Attraction  builds  virtue  when  Repulsion    has    shattered 

vice    47 

Illustration  of  its  operation 46 

Its  influence  on  our  thought  activity 89 

Heredity  discounted 156 

INTEREST  AND  INDIFFERENCE. 

The  twin  feelings  indigenous  to  the  4th  region  of  the 

Desire  World 45 

Illustration  of  their  operation 46,  89 

How  mathematics  raises  one  above  the  realm  of  feeling. .  203 


INDEX  591 

PAGE 

WORLD  OP  THOUGHT. 

It  is  preeminently  the  sphere  of  music  or  tone,  as  color 
is  indigenous  to  the  Desire  World  and  form  to  the 

Physical  World  119 

The  Great  Silence  is  the  portal  to  this  realm  of  Sound. .   122 
The  region  of  Concrete  Thought  embraces  the  four  densest 
subdivisions  where  Archetypes  and  Archetypal  Forces 

are  forming  matter 49,  50 

The   Region   of    Abstract    Thought    comprises   the    three 

highest  subdivisions  where  ideas  are  generated 51 

Diagram  of  the  Seven  Worlds    54 

WORLD  PERIODS;  THE  SEVEN  (topical). 

Practical  value  of  knowing  cosmogony  thoroughly 202 

The  World  Periods  are  way  stations  on  the  evolutionary 

journey  of  the  spirit  through  matter 190 

Why  this  pilgrimage  was  undertaken  and  its  fruits 87,  429 

SATURN  PERIOD. 

Activity  in  any  Period  starts  in  the  preceding  Cosmic 

Night    207 

Location  of  the  seven  globes;   they  were  dark  and  hot 

as  incipient  firemist 205 

The  Bible  also  mentions  this  dark  stage 321,  322 

There  was  only  one  element:  heat  or  incipient  fire 234 

Man  went  through  a  mineral  like  existence  and  had  a 

trance  like  consciousness 206,  212 

The  path  of  evolution  described 195 

Lords  of  Flame  radiate  germ  of  dense  body  and  awaken 

divine  spirit  in  man .  . . .' 206 

There  were  some  stragglers  left  behind 224 

The  Lords  of  Mind  were  human  then  and  worked  with  us 

as  we  work  with  present  minerals 222,  427 

SUN  PERIOD. 

Location  of  the  seven  globes,  they  were  light  balls 210 

There  were  two  elements ;  fire  and  air 234 

Bible  description  of  the  Sun  Period  and  how  it  is 
scientifically  possible  to  have  light  prior  to  the  crea- 
tion of  sun  and  moon 328 

Man  went  through  a  period  of  plantlike  existence  and 

had  a  consciousness  like  deep  sleep 213 


592  BOSICKUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

The  path  of  evolution  described 198 

Lords  of  Wisdom  aid  in  reconstruction  of  dense  body, 
glands  and  alimentary  canal  begin  genninally  and 
vital  body  has  its  inception  as  a  thoughtform 211 

The  Cherubim  waken  life  spirit 211 

Saturn  stragglers  awakened  and  become  plantlike 224 

The    present    animals    started    evolution    in    Sun    Period 

and    were    minerals    then 224 

The   Archangels   were   human    in   the   Sun   Period;    they 

work  with  both  animal  and  man 222,  349 

MOON  PERIOD. 

Location  of  the  seven  globes,  they  were  water  and  the 

atmosphere  was  a  steamy  firefog 213 

There  were  three  elements;  fire,  air  and  water 234,  328 

The  Bible  describes  the  dense  water  and  firefog 328 

Man-in-the-rnaking  went  through  a  period  of  animal-like 
existence;  he  had  internal  picture  consciousness  like 
dreams  217 

At  that  time  the  divine  consciousness  of  the  spirit  was 

entirely  obscured  self-consciousness  incipient 216 

Lords  of  Individuality  reconstruct  dense  and  vital  bodies, 

skeleton,  muscles  and  nerves  had  inception 214 

Lords  of  Individuality  give  desirebody  as  a  thought  form, 

Seraphim  awaken  human  spirit 215 

Moon  beings  hung  suspended  in  atmosphere  and  had  hori- 
zontal spines  like  animals  now 228 

A   division   of  the   globe   took  place   at   close  of  Moon 

Period  and  smaller  part  became  satellite 218 

Origin  of  birds'  migrations  and  honeymoon  trips 219 

The  divided  parts  merged  in  Cosmic  Night  between  Moon 

and  Earth  Periods 220 

List  of  classes  which  started  in  Moon  Period 226 

The  Angels  were  human  then  and  work  now  with  plant, 

animal  and  man 222,  349 

Present  plants  were  minerals  then,  parasites  are  strag- 
glers   227,  228 

Lucifer  Spirits  are  stragglers  from  lifewave  of  Angels.  .   286 
EARTH  PERIOD. 

We  have  made  S1/^  revolutions  of  the  Earth  Period 199 


INDEX  593 

PAGE 

The  nadir  of  density  in  our  evolution  was  reached  here 

on  earth,  but  there  are  worlds  denser  still 199,  233 

We  have  now  four  elements 234 

Bible  description  of  recapitulations   329 

Eeconstruction  of  dense  body  to  adapt  it  to  mind 239 

Keconstruction  of  vital  body  by  Angels 240 

Desirebody  reconstructed  by  Archangels 242 

Mind  was  given  by  Lords  of  Mind 222 

The  descending  spirit  meeting  the  ascending  form  in  the 
focusing    mind    marks    the    birth    of    the    thinking 

human  being  267 

The  mind  is  now  in  its  mineral  stage,  dead,  hence  we 

work  with  dead  minerals 426,  428 

Classes   of   beings   at   beginning   of   Earth   Period;    the 

minerals  entered  evolution  here 234 

JUPITER  PERIOD. 

The  Earth  will  become  etheric  and  globes  will  be  dis- 
posed as  they  were  in  the  Moon  Period 199 

There  will  be  five  elements,  the  5th  described 234 

The  vital  body  will  be  our  densest  vehicle 240,  242 

It  will  reach  highest  perfection 422 

The  dense  body  will  be  transmuted  and  compounded  with 

the   vital   body 422 

The  mind  will  become  alive 427 

Then  we  shall  work  with  plant  life 298,  428 

We  shall  have  an  objective  picture  consciousness  and  be 

capable  of  impressing  pictures  on  other  minds 418 

The  human  spirit,  the  Ego  will  be  prominent 425 

The  animals  will  be  human 70,   224 

VENUS  PERIOD. 

The  globes  will  be  located  as  in  Sun  Period 199 

Consciousness  of  Venus  Period  described 419 

The  desire  body  will  be  perfected 422 

The  essences  of  the  perfected  dense  and  vital  bodies  will 

be  compounded  therewith 423 

The  Intellectual  soul  will  be  absorbed  by  the  Life  Spirit, 

which  will  be  most  active  principle  then 423,  425 

The  mind  will  then  acquire  feeling  and  we  shall  create 

living  and  feeling  forms 427,  428 


594  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 
The  plants  will  be  human,  the  present   mineral  will  be 

animal    226 

VULCAN  PERIOD. 

Globes  will  be  located  as  in  Saturn  Period 200 

We  shall  have  highest  Spiritual,  Creative  Consciousness.  . .  421 
The  Mind  will  be  perfected  and  compounded  with  essences 

of   threefold   body 422,  423 

It  will  be  able  to  propagate  itself  and  create  living,  mov- 
ing, thinking  forms  for  present  mineral  which   will 

then  be  human 427,  428 

The  divine  spirit  will  be  particularly  active 423 

The  Emotional  soul  will  be  absorbed  by  Human  Spirit ....  423 

The  Creative  Word  (chapter) 425 

REVOLUTIONS  and  Periods  defined 196 

RECAPITULATION. 

Spirals  within  spirals 321 

The  meaning  and  necessity  of  recapitulation 208 

Work   pertaining   to    any    Period    delayed     till     previous 

phases  of  evolution  have  been  recapitulated 209 

How  described  in  Bible 329 

COSMIC  NIGHTS  OR  CHAOS. 

Reason  for  Cosmic  Nights  and  death 244 

Activity  of  any  Period  starts  in  middle  of  preceding  Cos- 
mic Night  as  a  life  commences  at  conception. . .  .250,  207 

Thus  it  is  not  a  period  of  inactivity 208 

The  work  in  cosmic  night  defined  and  described 196,  200 

There  are  cosmic  nights  between  revolutions  also 207 

The  activity  there  described 243 

Life  and  form  merge  in  Chaos,  only  seedatoms  of  world- 
globes  persist    247 

Comnenius  coined  the   word   "gas"  to   represent   spirit 

and  Chaos 251 

Chaos,  Cosmos,  Genius  and  Epigenesis  (chapter) 252 

POLARIAN  EPOCH. 

It  was  a  recapitulation  of  the  Saturn  Period 263 

The  matter  which  is  now  the  separate  Earth  was  then  in 

the  polar  region  of  the  sun 261 

The  dense  body  began  to  crystallize  as  mineral 165 


INDEX  595 

PAGE 

Propagation  by  fission,  the  pineal  gland  was  then  a  local- 
ized  organ   of   feeling 262 

The  Bible  on  the  Polarian  Epoch 330 

HYPERBOREAN  EPOCH. 

Angels  and  Lords  of  Form  clothe  humanity  with  vital 

body;   mankind  was  therefore  plant-like 263 

Cain,  the  second  epoch,  man  is  represented  as  an  agri- 
culturist   165,  166 

Skeleton  formed  in  end  of  Hyperborean  Epoch  and  was 

soft  as  cartilage 346 

Towards  end  of  this  epoch  the  earth  was  expelled  from 

sun 263 

The  Bible  on  that  event 330 

LEMURIAN  EPOCH. 

The  Moon  expelled  from  earth  in  beginning  Lemuria 264 

Atmosphere  of  firefog,  boiling  seas,  giant  fern  forests  and 

animals    275 

A  division  also  took  place  in  the  desire  body 235,  395 

The  skeleton  hardened  nnder  lunar  forces 275,  346 

Then  the   sexes  separated 268 

Lords   of   Mind   gave  germinal   mind    and    impregnated 

higher  part  of  desirebody  therewith 243 

Archangels  work  in  lower  part  of  desirebody 236,  243 

When   born   man  had  hearing  and  feeling,  be  used  his 

body  unconsciously 276,  277 

He  saw  himself  and  others  inwardly 277,  283 

Propagation    directed    by    Angels    in    harmony    with    the 

stars.     Then  parturition  was  painless 277 

Sexrelation    brought   consciousness   of   dense   body   when 

' '  Adam  knew  his  wife  " 283 

Lucifer  Spirits  appeared  to  Lemurian  woman 's  inner  con- 
sciousness prompting  to  self  assertion 2S7 

When  their  eyes  were  opened  they  became  aware  of  loss 
of  body  at  death  and  ignorance  of  stellar  lore 
caused  them  to  propagate  at  wrong  times,  so  parturi- 
tion has  become  painful 283 

Memory  was  first  developed  by  Leimrrian  girls 280 

Science  and  Art  were  taught  in  Lemurian  schools  of  Imi- 

tiation  conducted  by  Lords  of  Mercury 271,  281 


596  KOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

PAGE 

Lords  of  Venus  were  leaders  of  masses 272 

Greatest  number  of  Lemurians  remained  animal-like ....  289 

Reason  for  rise  and  fall  of  nations 289 

The  sixteen  races  from  latter  part   of  Lemuria  to  be- 
ginning  of    New    Gallilee 271 

Negroes  are  the  remnant  of  Lemurian  race 304 

ATLANTEAN  EPOCH. 

Mind  was  unfolded  by  food 166 

Atlantean  Epoch,  the  6th  day  of  Creation 322 

Inner    heat    of    globe    and   outer    cold    gave    foggy    at- 
mosphere    291 

In  early  Atlantis  man  had  an  inner  perception,  but  did 

not  see  outward  things  clearly 293 

When  later  atmosphere  cleared  he  lost  touch  with  spiritual 

world     294 

THE  ATLANTEAN  RACES. 

(1)  The  Emoahals 

Developed  sensation,  could  feel  pleasure,  pain,  sympathy 

and  antipathy;  their  word  had  magic  power 294 

(2)  The  Tlavatlis 

Became  ambitious,  remembered  great  deeds  of  leaders,  de- 
veloped germ  of  royalty 295 

(3)  The  Toltecs 

Started  monarchy.    Hereditary  succession  was  reasonable 

then,  as  father  could  transfer  faculties  to  son 296 

(4)  The  Original  Turanians 

Abused  power  over  lower  classes ;  were  idolaters 297 

(5)  The  Original  Semites 

They  were  a  chosen  people,  the  seed  race  for  our  Aryan 

races  298,  334 

They  were  to  evolve  thought  and  were  the  last  race  for- 
bidden to  marry  outside  family 299,  355 

But  some  did  that  and  are  the  present  Jews 309,  335,  355 

Then  the  atmosphere  cleared  and  water  filled  seas 300 

The  Gods  withdrew,  giving  man  freewill  and  making  him 

responsible  to  law  of  consequence 301,  355 

(6)  The  Akkadians  and 

(7)  The  Mongolians 

Evolved  thought  farther,  but  became  unadaptable 303 


INDEX  597 

PAGE 

THE  JEWS. 

How  patriotism  has  retarded  their  progress 313 

And  why  Christ  was  born  a  Jew 313 

How  the  tribes  were  lost  and  how  they  will  be  saved.  .314,  335 
America  the  melting  pot  of  amalgamation  and  emancipa- 
tion for  all  races;  the  cradle  of  a  new  people 315 

ARYAN  EPOCH. 

The  Ego  begins  to  shine 165 

Noah  and  the  wine 168 

The  new  chosen  people 305,  311 

Anglo  Saxons  are  the  5th  of  Aryan  Races 304,  305 


INDEX    OF    DIAGRAMS    AND    TABLES. 

No.  Page 

16 — The   Lord 's   Prayer Frontispiece 

The   Four   Kingdoms   and    Their   Relation   to    the    Three 

Worlds    16 

1 — Relative  Permanency  of  the  Visible  and  Invisible  Worlds     52 

2— The  Seven  Worlds 54 

3 — Vehicles  of  the  Four  Kingdoms 73 

4 — Consciousness  of  the  Four  Kingdoms 74 

Seven-fold  Constitution  of  Man 88 

5 — Three-fold  Spirit,  Soul,  and  Body 95 

51/3— The  Silver  Cord 98 

A  Life  Cycle 146 

6 — The  Supreme  Being,  the  Cosmic  Planes,  and  God 178 

7— The   Saturn   Period 193 

8—7  Worlds,  7  Globes,  and  7  Periods 197 

9 — The  Twelve  Creative  Hierarchies 221 

Classes  at  Dawn  of  Moon  Period 226 

10 — Classes   at   Dawn   of   Earth   Period;    their   vehicles   and 

status  then;  and  their  present  status 230 

11 — The  1,  3,  7  and  10  Aspects  of  God  and  Man 252b 

Table  of  Vibrations 254 

12 — Man's  Past,  Present,  and  Future  Form 257 

13 — The  Beginning  and  Ending  of  Sex 364 

Seven  Days  of  Creation 366 

14 — Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit;  their  vehicles  and  status 

in  the  Universe 377 

' '  As  Above,  so  Below  " 410 

Days  of  Week  and  Correspondences 411 

15 — Symbolism  of  the  Caduceus 413 

Classification  of  the  Animal  Kingdom 416 

Periods  and  Corresponding  Consciousness 421 

Tables  of  Food  Values 450-1 

17 — Transmutation  of  Sex-currents 475 

18— Constitution  of  the  Earth. .  509 


EPILOGUE. 

l?*alittg  JJutorr 


It  is  an  undeniable  truth  that  "man  is"  of  few  days  and  full 
of  trouble,  and  among  all  the  vicissitudes  of  life  none  has  such 
power  to  turn  us  towards  God  as  bodily  affliction.  We  may  see 
ourselves  reduced  to  poverty  at  a  turn  of  the  market;  we  may 
lose  our  friends  and  social  standing  and  become  outcasts  with 
more  or  less  equanimity,  but  when  we  lose  our  health  the  strongest 
and  staunchest  heart  begins  to  falter.  Realizing  human  impotence, 
and  powerfully  moved  by  pressing  need,  we  are  more  ready  to 
turn  for  succor  to  the  divine  power,  and  the  more  severely  we 
have  been  smitten  the  more  importunately  do  we  beseech  God  to 
aid.  Nothing  can  cause  us  to  pray  so  fervently  as  bodily  pain. 

Therefore  the  priestly  office  has  always  been  closely  connected 
with  healing.  Among  savages  the  priest  was  also  "medicine 
man;"  in  ancient  Greece  the  temple  of  /Esculapius  was  renowned 
for  cures  wrought  there;  Christ,  in  His  day  healed  the  sick.  The 
early  Church  followed  the  practice,  as  apparent  from  the  epistles, 
and  certain  Catholic  orders  have  continued  the  endeavor  to  assuage 
pain  through  the  centuries  which  have  intervened  between  that 
time  and  the  present  day. 

In  modern  times  the  tendency  has  been  to  divorce  the  spiritual 
comforter  from  ministering  also  to  the  ailing  body.  Since  then 
the  close  touch  and  warm  sympathy  between  priest  and  parishioner 
has  been  lost,  and  both  are  poorer  in  consequence.  Formerly,  in 
times  of  sickness,  the  "good  father"  came  as  a  representative 
of  our  Father  in  heaven.  Probably  he  was  unskilled  in  comparison 
to  our  modern  physicians,  but,  if  he  was  a  true  and  holy  priest, 
his  heart  would  be  warm  with  love  and  his  ministration*  more 
potent  because  of  the  patient's  faith  in  his  priestly  office,  and 

599 


600  ROSICRUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

after  recovery  his  patient  would  also  be  his  friend  and  take 
counsel  of  him  concerning  spiritual  things,  as  he  never  does  where 
the  offices  of  priest  and  physician  are  divorced. 

It  is  not  to  be  denied  that  the  double  office  gave  the  incumbents 
a  most  dangerous  power  over  the  people,  and  that  that  power  was 
at  times  abused.  It  is  also  patent  that  the  art  of  medicine  has 
reached  a  stage  of  efficiency  which  could  not  have  been  attained 
save  by  devotion  to  that  one  particular  end  and  aim.  The  safe- 
guards of  sanitary  laws,  the  extinction  of  insect  carriers  of  dis- 
ease and  consequent  immunity,  are  monumental  testimonies  to  the 
value  of  modern  scientific  methods.  Thus  it  may  seem  as  if  all 
were  well  and  no  need  of  writing  upon  the  subject,  but  in  reality, 
until  humanity  as  a  whole  enjoys  perfect  health,  there  is  no  issue 
more  important  than  the  question :  How  may  we  attain  and  main- 
tain health? 

In  addition  to  the  regular  school  of  surgery  and  medicine, 
which  depends  exclusively  upon  physical  means  for  the  cure  of 
disease,  other  systems  have  sprung  up  which  depend  entirely  on 
mental  healing.  It  is  the  custom  of  organizations  which  advocate 
"mind  cure,"  "nature  cure"  and  other  like  methods  to  hold 
"experience  meetings,"  and  publish  journals  with  testimonials 
from  thousands  of  grateful  supporters  who  have  benefited  by 
their  "treatments,"  and  if  physicians  of  the  regular  school  did 
likewise  there  would  be  no  lack  of  similar  testimonials  to  their 
efficiency. 

The  opinion  of  thousands  is  of  great  value,  but  it  does  not 
absolutely  prove  anything,  for  other  thousands  may  hold  an 
opposite  opinion,  and  occasionally  a  single  man  may  be  right  and 
the  rest  of  the  world  wrong,  as  when  Galileo  maintained  that  the 
earth  moved.  Today  the  whole  world  has  been  converted  to  the 
opinion  for  which  he  was  slain  as  a  heretic,  and  we  assert  that, 
as  man  is  a  composite  being,  cures  are  successful  only  in  propor- 
tion as  they  remedy  defects  on  the  physical,  moral  and  mental 
planes  of  being,  and  we  also  maintain  that  results  may  be  obtained 
more  easily  at  certain  times  when  stellar  rays  are  propitious  to 
healing  of  the  particular  disease  from  which  the  sufferer  is  ailing. 
Or  diseases  can  be  treated  more  successfully  at  any  time  by  reme- 
dies previously  prepared  under  auspicious  conditions  than  by  giv- 
ing the  same  remedy  compounded  under  unfavorable  constellations. 

It  is  well  known  to  modern  physicians  that  the  condition  of  the 


EPILOGUE  601 

blood — and  therefore  of  the  whole  body — changes  in  sympathy 
with  the  state  of  the  mind,  and  the  more  he  uses  suggestion  as 
an  adjunct  to  medicine  the  more  successful  he  is.  Few  perhaps 
credit  the  further  fact  that  both  our  mental  and  physical  condition 
is  influenced  by  planetary  rays  which  change  as  the  planets  move, 
and  yet — in  these  days  since  the  principle  of  radio-activity  has  been 
established — we  know  that  everybody  projects  into  space  number- 
less little  particles.  Wireless  telegraphy  has  taught  us  how  etheric 
waves  travel  swiftly  and  surely  through  trackless  space  and 
operate  a  key  according  to  our  will.  We  also  know  that  the  rays 
of  the  sun  affect  us  differently  in  the  morning,  when  its  rays 
strike  us  horizontally,  and  at  noon,  when  they  are  perpendicular. 
If  light  rays  from  the  swift  moving  sun  produce  physical  and 
mental  changes  may  not  the  persistent  ray  of  slower  planets  also 
have  an  effect!  If  they  have  they  are  factors  in  health  not  to  be 
overlooked  by  a  thoroughly  scientific  healer. 

Disease  is  a  manifestation  of  Ignorance,  the  only  sin,  and 
Healing  is  a  demonstration  of  applied  knowledge,  which  is  the 
only  salvation.  Christ  is  an  embodiment  of  the  Wisdom  principle, 
and  in  proportion  as  the  Christ  is  formed  in  us  we  attain  to  health. 
Therefore  the  healer  must  be  spiritual,  and  endeavor  to  imbue  his 
patient  with  high  ideals  so  that  he  may  eventually  learn  to  con- 
form to  God's  laws,  which  govern  the  universe,  and  thus  attain 
permanent  health  in  future  lives  as  well  as  now. 

But  "faith  without  works  is  dead."  If  we  persist  in  living 
under  unsanitary  conditions  faith  will  not  save  us  from  typhoid, 
but  when  we  apply  preventatives  of  proper  kind  and  remedies  in 
sickness  we  are  really  showing  our  faith  by  works. 

Like  other  mystery  orders  the  Eosicrucians  have  also  aimed 
to  help  humanity  in  attainment  of  bodily  health,  and  it  has  been 
written  in  various  works  that  members  of  the  Order  took  a  vow 
to  heal  others  free  of  charge,  but  like  all  other  previous  so-called 
"revelations"  this  statement  is  somewhat  garbled.  The  lay 
brothers  take  a  vow  to  MINISTER  to  all  according  to  the  best  of 
their  ability  FREE  OF  CHARGE.  The  vow  included  healing,  of  course, 
for  such  men  as  Paracelsus,  who  possesed  that  ability,  and  by  the 
combined  method  of  physical  remedies,  applied  under  favorable 
stellar  rays  and  spiritual  counsel,  he  was  successful  in  all  cases. 
Others  were  not  suited  to  be  healers  but  labored  in  other  direc- 
tions, but  all  were  alike  in  one  particular:  they  never  charged  for 


602  BOSICBUCIAN  COSMO  CONCEPTION 

their   services,   and    they    labored   in   secret    without    flourish    of 
trumpet  or  sound  of  drum. 

During  the  past  three  years  we  have  worked  assiduously  to  write, 
publish  and  orally  disseminate  the  Eosicrucian  teachings.  They 
have  reached  the  most  remote  corners  of  the  earth  in  a  year  and 
a  half  and  are  now  studied  from  South  Africa  to  the  Arctic 
Circle  and  beyond.  We  have  also  followed  the  injunction  "not 
to  charge  for  the  teaching,"  and,  having  been  found  "faithful 
in  a  few  things,"  the  Elder  Brother,  who  has  been  our  inspiration 
in  the  work,  has  entrusted  to  our  care  the  formula  by  which  a 
spiritual  healing  panacea  may  be  made  to  alleviate  suffering  and 
cure  disease — free  of  charge,  of  course. 

To  perform  this  service  for  humanity  it  will  be  necessary  to 
establish  headquarters  and  a  school  to  educate  qualified  helpers 
in  the  use  of  the  spiritual  panacea,  medical  astrology  and  hygiene. 
They  will  then  carry  help  and  healing  abroad.  A  considerable 
number  of  physicians  are  already  affiliated  with  the  Eosicrucian 
Fellowship,  and  it  may  be  a  number  will  feel  the  call  to  prac- 
tice the  spiritual  method  in  combination  with  their  medical  pro- 
fession. It  is  not  necessary  they  should  advertise  their  affiliation 
with  the  Bosicrucian  Fellowship  or  advertise  cures. 

At  this  writing  we  are  about  to  secure  a  tract  of  land  in 
Southern  California,  and  as  soon  as  funds  become  available  suit 
able  headquarters  will  be  erected,  with  a  school  and  place  of 
worship.  In  the  meantime  we  will  seek  out  prospective  helpers  in 
the  work  who  can  give  their  time  and  talents. 


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Seeing  that  such  are  the  views  of  the  writer,  he  wishes  to 
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will  not  consent  to  do  so  under  any  circumstances.  He 
teaches  astrology  free  of  charge,  as  part  of  the  spiritual 
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Many  questions  were  asked  the  writer  after  his  lectures 
in  various  parts  of  the  United  States  and  Europe  ;  questions 
which  dealt  with  and  probed  deeply  into  every  phase  of  the 
soul-life  here  and  Hereafter.  These  questions  he  saved 
and  later  selected  189  of  them,  which  were  of  most  uni- 
versal interest  for  compilation  into  a  book  of  occult  in- 
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It  is  a  book  which  ought  to  be  im  the  library  of  every 
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make  it  much  appreciated  as  a  "gift-book"  and  the  merely 
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INTERPRETATION  OP 


ANCIENT    TRUTHS    IN    MODERN    DRESS 


The  price  of  these  lectures  is  5  cents  each  plus  1  cent 
postage  for  each  copy. 

No.  1.  "THE  RIDDLE  OF  LIFE  AND  DEATH."  Present- 
ing a  solution  which  is  both  scientific  and  religious. 

No.  2.    "WHERE  ARE  THE  DEAD?" 

No.  3.  "SPIRITUAL  SIGHT  AND  THE  SPIRITUAL 
WORLDS."  Showing  that  we  have  a  latent  "sixth 
sense,"  and  what  it  opens  up  to  us  when  cultivated. 

No.  4.  "SLEEP,  DREAMS,  TRANCE  HYPNOTISM,  MEDI- 
UMSHIP  AND  INSANITY." 

No.  5.  "DEATH  AND  LIFE  IN  PURGATORY."  Describ- 
ing the  method  of  death  and  purgation,  also  how  im- 
mutable law  and  not  an  avenging  Deity  transmutes 
the  evil  acts  of  life  to  everlasting  good. 

No.  6.  "LIFE  AND  ACTIVITY  IN  HEAVEN."  Showing 
how  the  Human  Spirit  assimilates  the  Good  of  its 
past  life  and  creates  its  environment  for  a  future  re- 
birth, also  how  it  prepares  a  new  body. 

No.  7.  "BIRTH  A  FOURFOLD  EVENT."  Describing  the 
antenatal  preparations  for  birth,  and  the  spiritual 
changes  which  inaugurate  the  period  of  excessive 
physical  growth  in  the  7th  year,  the  cause  of  puberty 
at  14  and  maturity  at  21.  This  knowledge  is  abso- 
lutely essential  to  the  right  care  of  a  child. 

No.  8.  "THE  SCIENCE  OF  NUTRITION,  HEALTH  AND 
PROTRACTED  YOUTH."  Showing  the  material  cause  of 
early  death  and  the  obvious  prophylactic. 

No.  9.  "THE  ASTRONOMICAL  ALLEGORIES  OF  THE 
BIBLE." 


No.  10.  "ASTROLOGY;  ITS  SCOPE  AND  LIMITATIONS.'* 
Showing  the  spiritual  side  of  astrology,  how  it  enables 
those  who  study  it  to  help  themselves  and  others. 

No.  11.  "SPIRITUAL  SIGHT  AND  INSIGHT."  Its  cul- 
ture, control  and  legitimate  use,  giving  a  definite  and 
safe  method  of  attainment. 

No.  12.  "PARSIFAL."  Wagner's  famous  Mystic  Music 
Drama,  a  mine  of  inspiration  to  spiritual  effort. 

No.  13.  "THE  ANGELS  AS  FACTORS  IN  EVOLUTION." 
Showing  just  what  part  the  Angels,  Archangels, 
Cherubim,  Seraphim,  etc.,  play  in  the  Drama  of  Life. 

No.  14.  "LUCIFER,  TEMPTER  OR  BENEFACTOR  ?"  Show- 
ing the  origin  and  the  mission  of  pain  and  sorrow. 

No.  15.  "THE  MYSTERY  OF  GOLGOTHA  AND  THE 
CLEANSING  BLOOD."  A  rational  explanation  which 
satisfies  head  and  heart  alike. 

No.  16.  "THE  STAR  OF  BETHLEHEM;  A  MYSTIC 
FACT." 

No.  17.  "THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  HOLY  GRAIL."  The 
way  to  attainment. 

No.  18.  "THE  LORD'S  PRAYER."  Showing  the  esoteric 
side,  and  how  it  applies  to  the  seven-fold  constitution 
of  man. 

No.  19.     THE  COMING  FORCE;  VRIL  OR  WHAT? 

No.  20.     "FELLOWSHIP  AND  THE  COMING  RACE." 

Showing  why  the  Bible  contains  both  the  Jewish  and 
the  Christian  Religions,  and  why  both  combined  are 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  West- 
ern World  and  why  Jesus  was  born  a  Jew. 


* 


...  w 

ft  JAW  2  3 

"EC'O 


8-04425  5477 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGION* 


A     000196760     3 


